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2nd Grade, Dear Nora, Frankie Cosmos, Tony Molina, Big Star, Paul McCartney. This is Diners’ 7th full length album, produced by Mo Troper (Lame-O Records). On Domino, Diners has replaced their gentle pop sound with a more bombastic rock and roll approach while maintaining their upbeat positive world view. Diners teamed up with power pop prince Mo Troper and Grammy nominated engineer Jack Shirley to deliver her best record yet. For the last ten years, LA-based Blue Broderick has been making daydreamy guitar pop as Diners, outlining her optimistic worldview within the simple catchiness and charming style of ‘60s luminaries like Harry Nilsson and Brian Wilson. On “Domino,” her energetic new album, she’s taken a turn toward overdriven, uptempo power pop, applying her affirming lyricism to an unabashed rock record. With production help from Portland songwriter Mo Troper, “Domino” places her breezy melodies alongside stomping Big Star guitars and hazy fuzz bass, lending a new urgency to her anthems. “This is the rock record that I always wanted to make,” Broderick says. “I know that any time I turn it on, it’s what I set out to do

Formed in 1999 by founder & chief songwriter Bruce Soord, The Pineapple Thief
have continued to evolve & refine their sound ever since. They're now seen by
many as one of the most interesting & innovative rock bands the UK have
produced in recent years. Over the last half-decade, bolstered by the involvement
of master drummer Gavin Harrison, the band has rapidly ascended to the upper
echelons of Europe's Alternative Rock scene.
The band's anthemic 2020 release 'Versions Of The Truth' garnered worldwide
acclaim, earning TPT their highest chart positions to date. Immediately affected
by lockdowns, the album eventually led to extensive European & American
headline tours.
Prior to working on a new studio album, 2023 has seen the band turn to revisiting
its vast & impressive catalogue, with this edition of '10 Stories Down' (originally
released in 2005 on the Cyclops label) the latest in a series of early classics
remixed & remastered for release on LP.

With the rock'n'roll panache of a dive bar matador and the emotional
force of a knife in the guts, Hemi Hemingway makes music that thrills,
spills and breaks hearts
The effortlessly slick New Zealand star has a connoisseur's ear for the finest
parts of musical history, sweeping 60s rock, 50s sheen and 80s romanticism into
the present day, refurbishing them and refashioning them into something new
and fresh.
Debut LP "Strangers Again" is the sound of a starry-eyed dreamer, taking in the
shock of meeting destiny head-on, and figuring out their place in the rough and
tumble of life. It brings together candle- slow burning ballads, soaring, epic
highway rock and thunderous torch songs to soundtrack the sky falling in. But it's
much more than that, a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of modern themes, of
relating to a world that sometimes lifts you up, sometimes lets you down, and
everything in-between.

With the rock'n'roll panache of a dive bar matador and the emotional
force of a knife in the guts, Hemi Hemingway makes music that thrills,
spills and breaks hearts
The effortlessly slick New Zealand star has a connoisseur's ear for the finest
parts of musical history, sweeping 60s rock, 50s sheen and 80s romanticism into
the present day, refurbishing them and refashioning them into something new
and fresh.
Debut LP "Strangers Again" is the sound of a starry-eyed dreamer, taking in the
shock of meeting destiny head-on, and figuring out their place in the rough and
tumble of life. It brings together candle- slow burning ballads, soaring, epic
highway rock and thunderous torch songs to soundtrack the sky falling in. But it's
much more than that, a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of modern themes, of
relating to a world that sometimes lifts you up, sometimes lets you down, and
everything in-between.

Close your eyes and merge into Benedikt Frey’s 'Fastlane'. Imagine sitting in the driver’s seat of a an automobile, one with exceptional horsepower and torque, as you stare out the windshield at the red light, warping in fata-morgana a mile down the road. It’s a straight-away, a black top with two lanes, and against your better judgment you decide to floor the gas. No hesitation in your muscle, your ankle or the ball of your foot, which you now realize is some kind of universal pivot, the first point of contact fusing your body with the will of machine. In this moment you’re in awe that you, a human, an animal, grew from pond scum into something so advanced as to engineer this thing, a mechanical beast capable of overwhelming power and exhilaration. But you also feel a seductive dread, an outside force diverting you from caution toward a dangling carrot of curiosity, asking yourself, ‘How far can I take this thing?’ The dread, now a constant, is numbed, equalized by an adverse intoxicating gratification. You feel both sensations in real time, however, rather than take responsibility for yourself, friends, family and innocent bystanders, you cement your foot to the floor and lean your head back. Noise around you fades to mute. Smell the benzene-scented air, feel the wind on your face, the menacing vibration of the vessel you control beneath you and every grain of asphalt under its tires. This mile has now lasted an eternity and you’ve left your body for some objective view, as if watching climax of a film. Past the point of no return, you embrace abandon and lean into fate. The film becomes slow motion, a crawling pace so mesmerizing you convince yourself of an option to eject yourself from this madness, but as you finally let go of your last morsel of fear, you run the red light head-on into the nucleus of a fantastic glistening sculpture of torn metal, glass, oil, broken dreams and heartache. 'Fastlane' may be just drum machines and synthesizers if you’re timid, but listen harder and know the catastrophic reality of existence, a wreckage so gruesome we dare not rubberneck, but afterall it is our nature to stare.

Während sich die australischen Metal-Juggernauten Parkway Drive auf eine Welttournee vorbereiten, um ihr 20-jähriges Bandjubiläum zu feiern, kündigt Epitaph Records die Veröffentlichung der Debüt-EP der Band aus dem Jahr 2004 an, zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl. Diese erweiterte Version von Don't Close Your Eyes enthält die ursprünglichen 8 Tracks der ersten EP der Band und zusätzlich Bonustracks von ihrem Split-Album mit I Killed the Prom Queen und von den Compilation-Alben What We've Built und True Till Death, Volume I.

Parkway Drive stammen aus der australischen Küstenstadt Byron Bay und stürmten aus ihrer ruhigen Umgebung heraus, um eine explosive Mischung aus komplizierten Metal-Riffs, heftigen Breakdowns und emotionaler Hardcore-Spannung zu bieten. Mit den Chartstürmern Horizons (2007) und Deep Blue (2010) entfachte die Band regionales Feuer, bevor sie 2012 mit Atlas den internationalen Markt eroberte. Mit Ire (2015) führte die Gruppe Clean-Gesang in ihr Werk ein, und auf Reverence (2018) und Darker Still (2022) bewegte sie sich weiter in Richtung eines melodischeren, aber nicht weniger aggressiven Metal-Stils.

Parkway Drive sind auch nach 20 Jahren immer noch eine Naturgewalt und einer der Top-Headliner in der harten Musikszene. Don't Close Your Eyes lässt die Anfänge der Band wieder aufleben und ihre größten Fans werden sich freuen, dieses Album endlich auf Vinyl zu haben.

Während sich die australischen Metal-Juggernauten Parkway Drive auf eine Welttournee vorbereiten, um ihr 20-jähriges Bandjubiläum zu feiern, kündigt Epitaph Records die Veröffentlichung der Debüt-EP der Band aus dem Jahr 2004 an, zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl. Diese erweiterte Version von Don't Close Your Eyes enthält die ursprünglichen 8 Tracks der ersten EP der Band und zusätzlich Bonustracks von ihrem Split-Album mit I Killed the Prom Queen und von den Compilation-Alben What We've Built und True Till Death, Volume I.

Parkway Drive stammen aus der australischen Küstenstadt Byron Bay und stürmten aus ihrer ruhigen Umgebung heraus, um eine explosive Mischung aus komplizierten Metal-Riffs, heftigen Breakdowns und emotionaler Hardcore-Spannung zu bieten. Mit den Chartstürmern Horizons (2007) und Deep Blue (2010) entfachte die Band regionales Feuer, bevor sie 2012 mit Atlas den internationalen Markt eroberte. Mit Ire (2015) führte die Gruppe Clean-Gesang in ihr Werk ein, und auf Reverence (2018) und Darker Still (2022) bewegte sie sich weiter in Richtung eines melodischeren, aber nicht weniger aggressiven Metal-Stils.

Parkway Drive sind auch nach 20 Jahren immer noch eine Naturgewalt und einer der Top-Headliner in der harten Musikszene. Don't Close Your Eyes lässt die Anfänge der Band wieder aufleben und ihre größten Fans werden sich freuen, dieses Album endlich auf Vinyl zu haben.

From the depths of Subchaser, to the heights of Venus, Truth's 'Temple of Eyes' EP explores another chapter of otherworldly sound.

As the first label to ever release Truth, it's always nice to unite for another record: 14 years, eight releases, let's go.

'Temple of Eyes'

Margaret Glaspy’s third album Echo The Diamond emerged from a deliberate stripping-away of artifice to reveal life for all its harsh truths and ineffable beauty. Informed by profound loss, the album finds the New York-based musician sorting through that pain to piece together indelible fragments of wisdom. Produced by Glaspy with her partner, guitarist/composer Julian Lage, it expands on the frenetic vitality of her widely acclaimed debut Emotions and Math. On the new album, Glaspy recorded with bassist Chris Morrissey (Andrew Bird, Lucius, Ben Kweller) and drummer/percussionist David King of The Bad Plus.

The fourth album from Australian metal masters, Parkway Drive. It was another creative leap forward for the chart-topping Australian band, "Atlas" boasts some of the most up front and confrontational material Parkway Drive has ever released, while at the same time taking several unexpected turns into lush sonic terrain, redefining their trademark sound while reinforcing their position as leaders in their field. the album includes the "Wild Eyes" which is a huge sing-a-long live anthem.

This special vinyl box set contains all four PARTYNEXTDOOR studio albums - including the first album, Partynextdoor, never before issued on vinyl until the release of this completist collection. PARTYNEXTDOOR producer, songwriter and singer from Ontario released his self-titled, critically acclaimed mixtape in July of 2013 led by the singles “Over Here” and “Break From Toronto.” Contributions to “Own It” and “Come Through” on Drake’s Nothing Was the Same album and a deal with OVO Sound followed. He’s since written songs and/or produced cuts for Rihanna, Drake, Nipsey Hussle, Jay Electronica, Post Malone and many more

Whitney did more than turn Whitney Houston into a pioneering sensation known around the world by her first name. Originally released in June 1987, the singer's blockbuster sophomore record became the first album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart — a position it claimed for a total of 11 weeks en route to selling more than 10 million copies in the U.S. The Diamond platinum effort also contains four No. 1 Hot 100 hits that, when combined with the three chart toppers from her 1985 debut, gave her seven consecutive No. 1 singles — an accomplishment that no other artist has accomplished. Commercially and creatively, Whitney stands on hallowed ground — especially now that the record plays with a sound that puts into perspective just how extraordinary, engaging, and vital Houston's music remains.


Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP of Whitney invites listeners to experience the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee's pivotal album in audiophile quality for the very first time. Free of the dynamic limitations and tonal flatness prevalent on prior vinyl and CD pressings, it lets the music breathe and reveals the copious detail, nuance, and texture within the immaculately produced songs. MoFi's SuperVinyl profile offers further advantages in the forms of a nearly inaudible noise floor, dead-quiet surfaces, and superb groove definition.

In addition to featuring extreme clarity and immediacy, this numbered-edition reissue does wonders for the attribute that inspired more than 20 million people around the globe to add Whitney to their record collections: that inimitable voice. Houston's trademark mezzo-soprano — an acrobatic instrument equally capable of taking off on fantastic flights and unwinding for hushed meditations — benefits from the fantastic airiness and transparency afforded by this meticulously restored edition. Whitney has never sounded or looked better. The crossover landmark deserves nothing less.

Issued just two years after Houston's breakthrough debut, Whitney immediately signalled the genre-defying singer's intent to continue to push ahead and expand her palette. Shot by photographer Richard Avedon, the album cover depicts an iconic image of Houston — captured with a gleaming smile, bright eyes, teased-out afro, toned arms, and a right hand that appears to wave a friendly hello — whose active, athletic profile stands in contrast to the extremely formal sit-down shot of her that graces her '85 record. The change is telling: Whitney overflows with unfettered joy, rhythmic vibes, and deep-seated emotions that forever endeared her to the hearts and minds of countless listeners — and which set the standard for the wave after wave of divas that followed in her footsteps.

It's no coincidence that the first track on Whitney is the declarative "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)." Like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Madonna's "Material Girl," the feel-good smash is one of the quintessential '80s gems — a lithe, melodic, celebratory release of pent-up energy and loneliness that glides across club floors, shouts to the rooftops, and shrugs off any concerns about vulnerability or embarrassment. Houston's swooping voice moves in sync with the sleek beats and dipping-and-diving synths. She practically takes her fellow musicians by their hand and leads them in a blissful dance that nobody would dare sidestep. Focusing on Houston's singing — a task made challenging only because of the impossible-to-ignore hooks and grooves — showcases the virtuosic facets of not only her register but her control, discipline, smoothness, and warmth.

That she replicates those feats for the entirety of the nearly 53-minute-long album makes Whitney that much more special. Houston reaches back and channels her childhood gospel training on the R&B-flared "So Emotional"; effortlessly slips into Quiet Storm mode on the duet with her mother, gospel great Cissy Houston, on "I Know Him So Well"; flirts with smooth jazz and collaborates with tenor saxophonist Kenny G on the lush "Just the Lonely Talking Again"; conjures dreamscapes and shadow-boxes with supple funk on a romantic cover of the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You"; and, for the majestic power ballad "Didn't We Almost Have It All," displays the sky-scraping reach of her vocals amid a grand arrangement made even bigger by Houston's sweeping performance and triumphant finish.

Houston's once-in-a-generation talents weren't lost on the adoring public, radio deejays, or industry experts. In addition to harbouring four No. 1 hits and receiving nominations for four Grammy Awards, Whitney generated another Top 10 success in the guise of the Afro-Cuban-leaning "Love Will Save the Day." The album also netted Houston four American Music Awards; two Billboard Music Awards; back-to-back People's Choice Awards; a Soul Train Award; and various other accolades. It all makes the crux of the Washington Post's July '87 review of the album appear prophetic: "Her voice sounds stronger still and the songs are varied but so consistent she could garner 10 Top 10s out of a field of 11."


That claim still holds true. A brilliant fusion of pop, R&B, smooth jazz, and soul, Whitney is a showstopper – and one of the key reasons Houston is the most-awarded female artist of all time.

War sein Vorgängeralbum "Step Into The Earthquake" von 2017 noch eine poetische Reaktion auf das US-amerikanische Politdesaster, so wendet Simon Joyner sich auf Pocket Moon dem Privaten zu, den kleinen Gesten, dem Alltäglichen, zwischenmenschlichen und intimen. Für einen Songwriter seiner poetischen Kraft und Kenntnis ist auch das kein Sujet das er mit oberflächlichen Beschreibungen abhandelt und auf Allgemeinplätzen parkt. Seine Musik ist voll Achtsamkeit: Joyner beobachtet die Gewalt, die Schönheit und die Absurdität des Alltags aus nächster Nähe und findet eine angemessene, vielsagende Form. Wer zuhört, kann mit ihm darüber lachen, nachzudenken oder manchmal auch erschrecken, und schreiend davon wegzulaufen. Simon Joyner, der musikalisch das unkonventionelle, unverstellte schätzt - jene Sounds und Künstler die sich an die brüchigen, ungeschliffenen Ränder wagen - ging zu Pocket Moon ein für Ihn anregendes Wagnis ein: Anstatt mit seiner band The Ghost, in seiner Heimatstadt Omaha aufzunehmen, bat er seinen langjährigen musikalischen Partner Michael Krassner ihm eine Band in Phoenix zusammen zu stellen. Die lernte er erst zu den tatsächlichen Aufnahmen kennen. Es gab keine seperaten Proben, sondern aufgezeichnet wurde, zumeist live, was sich eben bei diesem Treffen musikalisch entwickelte. Die Band verwendet dabei eine breite Palette von Instrumenten und Texturen und verleiht so jedem der rauhen wie erhabenen Songs eine zusätzliche Nuance. Bei allem Minimalismus erreichten sie zusammen eine feine klangliche Offenheit, Spannung und Abgehangenheit, wie Joyner sie sich wohl wünschte. Für unsere Ohren ist Pocket Moon unter seinen mittlerweile 14 Alben wohl eins seiner feinsten.

Seine Stärke ist ein Songwriting das musikalisch wie poetisch kratzt und schabt: am amerikanischen Traum, an dessen Wirklichkeit und den Menschen die ihn bevölkern. Immer wieder wurde seine spröde Musik und einfühlsamen Texte mit denen von Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed und Bob Dylan verglichen und somit Gewicht verliehen. Zu großer Bekanntheit führte das nicht, Simon Joyner bleibt ein outsider mit seinem Loner-folk, aber für die, die ihn entdecken bietet er ein Kraft von rauher Schönheit. Conor Obers von Bright Eyes nennt Joyner, der seit 1990 seine dunklen Americana Songs veröffentlicht, einen entscheidenden Einfluß. Simon Joyner's neuestes Album gerät noch dunkler und eindringlicher. Sein Thema hier ist Isolation, und er übernimmt es gleich auch als Grundlage für seine Produktion Ihm war es wichtig, dass die beteiligten Musiker allesamt alleine waren um ihre jeweiligen Parts zu finden. Die Abgeschiedenheit der einzelnen Musiker auf Songs From A Stolen Guitar bietet somit weniger Spontaneität vieler früherer Arbeiten von Joyner, führt aber zu einer Art Silberstreifeneffekt: Joyners Songs, die hier sorgfältiger und vielleicht absichtsvoller produziert wurden als auf jedem seiner früheren Alben, kommen viel klarer durch und stellen sowohl seine schillernden Wortspiele als auch seine klare Vision in den Vordergrund. Ein Kritiker bringt einen Vergleich zu Neil Young und meinte "Wenn (sein 2012 Album) 'Ghosts' sein 'Tonight's the Night' war - zornig, nackt und bodenlos - dann könnte sich 'Songs From A Stolen Guitar' als sein Harvest erweisen." Songs From A Stolen Guitar wurde in verschiedenen Städten aufgenommen. Joyner nahm seinen Gesang und seine Gitarre live in Omaha auf; Bassist Wil Hendrix fügte seine Parts zu Hause in San Francisco hinzu, Michael Krassner nahm seine Gitarren- und Klavier-Overdubs zu Hause in Phoenix auf, und Schlagzeuger/Percussionist Ryan Jewell nahm in Colorado auf. Dieser musikalische Kettenbrief machte sich dann auf den Weg zurück nach Omaha, wo David Nance (Gitarren und Backing Vocals), Ben Brodin (Orgel und Vibraphon) und Megan Siebe (Bratsche und Backing Vocals) - getrennt voneinander - ihre jeweiligen Beiträge einspielten. Dieses Vorgehen zahlt sich aus. Die "virtuelle" Band spielt eine unterstützende, aber komplementäre Rolle und erzeugt immer das richtige Maß an Spannung, um diese emotionsgeladenen Geschichten zu begleiten und zu umhüllen. Das Zusammenspiel ist einfühlsam und kohärent, auch wenn es aus geografischer Entfernung und Abgeschiedenheit zusammengefügt wurde und oft wie Musik klingt, die durch den Nebel eines Herbstmorgens gefiltert wurde. Doch wenn es um Simon Joyner-Platten geht, zahlt man sein Ticket, um großartige Songs zu hören, und auch in dieser Kategorie enttäuscht Songs From A Stolen Guitar nicht. Eins der seltenen Alben, das nach dem klingt, worum es geht: die Kluft zwischen Einsamkeit und Alleinsein, die Grenzen zwischen Liebe und Hingabe, der Unterschied zwischen dem Tornado und dem, was er hinterlässt.

Translucent Dark Red & Black Marbled Colored Vinyl. Seine Stärke ist ein Songwriting das musikalisch wie poetisch kratzt und schabt: am amerikanischen Traum, an dessen Wirklichkeit und den Menschen die ihn bevölkern. Immer wieder wurde seine spröde Musik und einfühlsamen Texte mit denen von Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed und Bob Dylan verglichen und somit Gewicht verliehen. Zu großer Bekanntheit führte das nicht, Simon Joyner bleibt ein outsider mit seinem Loner-folk, aber für die, die ihn entdecken bietet er ein Kraft von rauher Schönheit. Conor Obers von Bright Eyes nennt Joyner, der seit 1990 seine dunklen Americana Songs veröffentlicht, einen entscheidenden Einfluß. Simon Joyner's neuestes Album gerät noch dunkler und eindringlicher. Sein Thema hier ist Isolation, und er übernimmt es gleich auch als Grundlage für seine Produktion. Ihm war es wichtig, dass die beteiligten Musiker allesamt alleine waren um ihre jeweiligen Parts zu finden. Die Abgeschiedenheit der einzelnen Musiker auf Songs From A Stolen Guitar bietet somit weniger Spontaneität vieler früherer Arbeiten von Joyner, führt aber zu einer Art Silberstreifeneffekt: Joyners Songs, die hier sorgfältiger und vielleicht absichtsvoller produziert wurden als auf jedem seiner früheren Alben, kommen viel klarer durch und stellen sowohl seine schillernden Wortspiele als auch seine klare Vision in den Vordergrund. Ein Kritiker bringt einen Vergleich zu Neil Young und meinte "Wenn (sein 2012 Album) 'Ghosts' sein 'Tonight's the Night' war - zornig, nackt und bodenlos - dann könnte sich 'Songs From A Stolen Guitar' als sein Harvest erweisen." Songs From A Stolen Guitar wurde in verschiedenen Städten aufgenommen. Joyner nahm seinen Gesang und seine Gitarre live in Omaha auf; Bassist Wil Hendrix fügte seine Parts zu Hause in San Francisco hinzu, Michael Krassner nahm seine Gitarren- und Klavier-Overdubs zu Hause in Phoenix auf, und Schlagzeuger/Percussionist Ryan Jewell nahm in Colorado auf. Dieser musikalische Kettenbrief machte sich dann auf den Weg zurück nach Omaha, wo David Nance (Gitarren und Backing Vocals), Ben Brodin (Orgel und Vibraphon) und Megan Siebe (Bratsche und Backing Vocals) - getrennt voneinander - ihre jeweiligen Beiträge einspielten. Dieses Vorgehen zahlt sich aus. Die "virtuelle" Band spielt eine unterstützende, aber komplementäre Rolle und erzeugt immer das richtige Maß an Spannung, um diese emotionsgeladenen Geschichten zu begleiten und zu umhüllen. Das Zusammenspiel ist einfühlsam und kohärent, auch wenn es aus geografischer Entfernung und Abgeschiedenheit zusammengefügt wurde und oft wie Musik klingt, die durch den Nebel eines Herbstmorgens gefiltert wurde. Doch wenn es um Simon Joyner-Platten geht, zahlt man sein Ticket, um großartige Songs zu hören, und auch in dieser Kategorie enttäuscht Songs From A Stolen Guitar nicht. Eins der seltenen Alben, das nach dem klingt, worum es geht: die Kluft zwischen Einsamkeit und Alleinsein, die Grenzen zwischen Liebe und Hingabe, der Unterschied zwischen dem Tornado und dem, was er hinterlässt.

Miles Davis created just one studio album with his original sextet: Milestones. And he made every moment count. Pairing with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, Davis not only laid the groundwork for the modalism that immediately followed but tailored a genuine modern-jazz masterwork laden with performances among the most explosive of his distinguished career. Sandwiched between the more famous 'Round About Midnight and the epochal Kind of Blue, Milestones remains a seminal work of art.

Sourced from the original master tapes and pressed on dead-quiet SuperVinyl, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g LP grants each musician their own space amid broad soundstages. Afforded the benefits of a nearly non-existent noise floor and supreme groove definition, this vinyl reissue doubles as a time machine back to the February-March 1958 recording sessions.

Colors, shapes, and dimensions appear in the manner that resembles what you'd glean from behind a studio control room's window. Davis' burnished trumpet is rendered in three-dimensional perspective and seemingly coaxes the band to play with unburdened zest. Coltrane's trademark saxophone teems with lifelike tonality and images with specificity; his solos work in tandem with and against the driving rhythms. Garland's swaggering piano lines? Visualize the keys as he hits full stride, the chords and fills slithering around skeletal frameworks.

Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and selected as a "Core Collection" record by the Penguin Guide to Jazz, Milestones is as famous for its title track – widely considered ground zero for modalism and bolstered by Jones' hallmark "Philly Lick" rim shot – as the players that produced it. The launching pad for many of Davis' improvisational flights, the album teases the explorations Coltrane would soon chase. Davis' own solo work broaches territories that far exceed what he had done in his bop-rooted past. Every song is a highlight.

Take the bravado "Dr. Jackle," featuring a hot-foot pace and bebop strains, or "Sid's Ahead," which continues the album's blues theme while juggling edgy harmonics and inside-out structures. On "Billy Boy," distinguished with an arco bass solo from Chambers, Garland gets a turn in the spotlight and channels the openness practised by one of his heroes, Ahmad Jamal. Even more instructive is the band's reading of Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit." Three years removed from the version Davis and company recorded for the trumpeter's Columbia debut, this interpretation demonstrates the extent to which the group had jelled in a relatively short amount of time.



Then there's "Straight, No Chaser," the definitive rendition of Thelonious Monk's signature piece. Coltrane's marbled playing pulls at the tune's borders, Adderley takes liberty with solos, and Davis dances around his mates, at one point quoting "When the Saints Go Marching In" while demonstrating his knowledge of tradition and casting an eye towards the future.

About that future. Garland already had one foot out the door during the Milestones sessions to the extent Davis spells him on "Sid's Ahead." Jones would stick around for a bit longer but soon plot his exit. History proves Davis navigated the changes with visionary aplomb. Yet the chemistry, excitement, and beauty the sextet achieves on Milestones cannot be overstated. This reissue helps put the album in proper perspective – and presents the music the fidelity it deserves.

Der renommierte Troubadour aus Illinois erweitert seine musikalische DNA mit Covers Vol. 2, die tiefgreifendste persönliche Musikreise, die er je unternahm. Zuhörer werden mit mitreißenden Interpretationen von Klassikern von Billy Joel (Vienna), Bruce Springsteen (Streets Of Philadelphia), James Taylor (Fire And Rain) und Peter Gabriel (In Your Eyes) sowie Indie-Perlen von Radiohead (Weird Fishes), JP Saxe (A Little Bit Yours) und Manchester Orchestra (Sleeper 1972) verwöhnt. Ebenfalls enthalten sind einige unerwartete Darbietungen wie Jeremy Zucker (Scared), Del Amitiri (Tell Her This) und Go West (King Of Wishful Thinking). William Fitzsimmons: 'Leute, die meinen Katalog kennen, wären wahrscheinlich überrascht zu erfahren, dass ich tatsächlich ein ziemlich großer Fan von Popmusik bin. Von der Brillanz der Beatles und den Beach Boys bis hin zu den moderneren Stilrichtungen von Harry Styles, Beyoncé und Taylor Swift – ich genieße eine eingängige Melodie genauso wie jeder andere.'

Singer-songwriter house, outsider or campfire dance. Katerina’s full-blown debut EP for Running Back melds cultural images of both places she calls home. Alternatively hailing from Helsinki or Sofia, she serves ethereal vocals, heartbreaking melodies and the chilly melancholic strains of the north to meet an optimistic and at times cheerful mood, paired with pop music themes, heavy bass lines and an upbeat drum section. Six tracks of idiosyncratic and independent dance motifs (including two ambient takes) that all go against the grain of the fast pace of life today, cheap thrills and unnecessary kills. All symbolized in the lyrics of the lead song Get To Know You or the instrumental love ballad Rain In Her Eyes and bound together by Marsu The Cat or Time Machine. An EP with the depth of an LP, lots of weight and even more character. Powerful, wonderful and more durable than the remains of one day.

The "Origins" collection focusses on one the greatest guitarist of all time. More than 50 years after his death, find the titles that influenced the sound of Jimi Hendrix on a double vinyl! With original tracks by : Muddy Waters - Bo Diddley - Chuck Berry - Little Richard - Buddy Guy - Bob Dylan - Elvis Presley - John Lee Hooker - B.B King

Craft Recordings feiert den 30. Jahrestag des bahnbrechenden Albums ”Ring” von The Connells mit der ersten weithin erhältlichen Neuauflage auf Vinyl und einer mit Boni gefüllten CD und digitalen DeluxeEditionen. Das Album, das am 11. August veröffentlicht wird, enthält den internationalen Top-Ten-Hit ”’74-’75” der Band aus North Carolina sowie beliebte Stücke wie ”Slackjawed” und ”New Boy”. Die DeluxeEditionen des Albums wurden von Brent Lambert bei The Kitchen in Carrboro, NC, neu gemastert und enthalten 21 Bonustracks, darunter seltene B-Seiten und 12 bisher unveröffentlichte Demos. Abgerundet werden die Pakete durch neue Linernotes des in Raleigh ansässigen Journalisten und Autors David Menconi, die neue Interviews mit der Band enthalten.

We don't skip cat numbers around here. It was predestined that ENiGMA Dubz would appear on the DUPLOC050 milestone release. The Birmingham based dubstep don has been working with us since literally the first day of the YouTube channel. Almost 10 years later ENiGMA Dubz is a well established artist and is regularly featured on his home labels DUPLOC, Deep Dark & Dangerous as well as his very own imprint Morii Records.

Where "40 Fathoms" and "Silverback" are sound system shellers, "Earth Giants" runs on a heavier vibe while the digital bonus track "Too Close To The Sun" is a melodious masterpiece. All by all his DUPLOC050 shows how strongly versatile ENiGMA Dubz' sound is.

Rebellion ist aktuell in aller Munde, aber DYMNA LOTVA haben dafür gewichtige persönliche Gründe: Das Duo musste aus seinem Heimatland Belarus aufgrund politischer Verfolgung fliehen. Die Kunst der Metal-Band wird von der Lukaschenka-Diktatur aktuell zensiert und unterdrückt. Doch auch auf ihrem dritten Album, "The Land under the Black Wings: Blood" singen DYMNA LOTVA weiterhin von Trauer und Schmerz. Dabei haben die Belarussen hörbar ihren markanten Stil dynamisch weiterentwickelt. Über einem soliden Black Metal Fundament, das auch Bausteine aus dem Doom und traditioneller Musik enthält, baut das Duo mit Hilfe von melancholischen, eindringlichen Melodien emotionalere und gewaltigere musikalische Strukturen auf. Die Texte von DYMNA LOTVA basieren auf wahren Geschichten aus ihrer Heimat. Diese stammen aus Berichten voller Leid, die das Duo in historischen Archiven und in der Folklore findet - während in ihrem Land an jedem Tag neue Schreckenstaten hinzukommen. Komponist und Multiinstrumentalist Jauhien Charkasau sowie Sängerin Katsiaryna "Nokt Aeon" Mankevich datieren die Gründung von DYMNA LOTVA präzise auf den 8. November 2015. Am diesen Tag entzündete die Nachricht, dass die belarussische Schriftstellerin Swetlana Alexandrowna Alexijewitsch den Literaturnobelpreis erhalten hat, das musikalische Feuer der Band. Noch am gleichen Tag schuf das Duo seinen ersten Song, der von der Nuklearkatastrophe von Tschernobyl inspiriert wurde. Dieser erschien im Jahr 2016 als Single unter dem Titel ("A Solitary Human Voice"). DYMNA LOTVAs erstes Album "The Land under the Black Wings: Swamp" kam noch im gleichen Jahr heraus. Das Debüt stellt auch den ersten Teil einer konzeptionellen Trilogie über Belarus dar. Mit dem Nachfolger, "Wormwood" der nicht zur geplanten Album-Trilogie zählt, kehren DYMNA LOTVA im Jahr 2017 zum Thema Tschernobyl zurück. Nach den gefälschten Wahlen im Jahr 2020 unterstützte DYMNA LOTVA offen die Proteste gegen den Diktator Lukaschenka. Nach einem politisch motivierten Prozess gegen den Metal-Sänger Lesley Knife, der auch als Gast auf der Single 'To Freedom' zu hören ist, werden alle geplanten Konzerte von DYMNA LOTVA offiziell verboten und die Live-Besetzung der Band ist zur Auflösung gezwungen. Sängerin Nokt Aeon kann ihrer politisch motivierten Verhaftung nur durch Flucht außer Landes entgehen. Das Duo will sich in der Ukraine treffen, als der russische Überfall den Plan zunichte macht. Nach zwei Wochen schweren Bombardements durch Russland und harten Kämpfen um Irpin gelingt Nokt Aeon die Flucht aus der Stadt. Beide Musiker finden schließlich Aufnahme in Polen. Für DYMNA LOTVA ist die Veröffentlichung von "The Land under the Black Wings: Blood" daher auch ein Akt des Widerstands. Ihre Musik kann auf mehr als eine Weise gehört werden: Es handelt sich zunächst, nur für sich genommen, um ein wundervoll melancholisches, zeitgenössisches Metal-Album auf der dunklen Seite des Genres; mit einem hörbar belarussischen Einschlag. Doch aus einer erweiterten künstlerischen Perspektive betrachtet, ist DYMNA LOTVAs "The Land under the Black Wings": Blood" ein klagender, wütender Schrei nach Freiheit und Gerechtigkeit!

Rebellion ist aktuell in aller Munde, aber DYMNA LOTVA haben dafür gewichtige persönliche Gründe: Das Duo musste aus seinem Heimatland Belarus aufgrund politischer Verfolgung fliehen. Die Kunst der Metal-Band wird von der Lukaschenka-Diktatur aktuell zensiert und unterdrückt. Doch auch auf ihrem dritten Album, "The Land under the Black Wings: Blood" singen DYMNA LOTVA weiterhin von Trauer und Schmerz. Dabei haben die Belarussen hörbar ihren markanten Stil dynamisch weiterentwickelt. Über einem soliden Black Metal Fundament, das auch Bausteine aus dem Doom und traditioneller Musik enthält, baut das Duo mit Hilfe von melancholischen, eindringlichen Melodien emotionalere und gewaltigere musikalische Strukturen auf. Die Texte von DYMNA LOTVA basieren auf wahren Geschichten aus ihrer Heimat. Diese stammen aus Berichten voller Leid, die das Duo in historischen Archiven und in der Folklore findet - während in ihrem Land an jedem Tag neue Schreckenstaten hinzukommen. Komponist und Multiinstrumentalist Jauhien Charkasau sowie Sängerin Katsiaryna "Nokt Aeon" Mankevich datieren die Gründung von DYMNA LOTVA präzise auf den 8. November 2015. Am diesen Tag entzündete die Nachricht, dass die belarussische Schriftstellerin Swetlana Alexandrowna Alexijewitsch den Literaturnobelpreis erhalten hat, das musikalische Feuer der Band. Noch am gleichen Tag schuf das Duo seinen ersten Song, der von der Nuklearkatastrophe von Tschernobyl inspiriert wurde. Dieser erschien im Jahr 2016 als Single unter dem Titel ("A Solitary Human Voice"). DYMNA LOTVAs erstes Album "The Land under the Black Wings: Swamp" kam noch im gleichen Jahr heraus. Das Debüt stellt auch den ersten Teil einer konzeptionellen Trilogie über Belarus dar. Mit dem Nachfolger, "Wormwood" der nicht zur geplanten Album-Trilogie zählt, kehren DYMNA LOTVA im Jahr 2017 zum Thema Tschernobyl zurück. Nach den gefälschten Wahlen im Jahr 2020 unterstützte DYMNA LOTVA offen die Proteste gegen den Diktator Lukaschenka. Nach einem politisch motivierten Prozess gegen den Metal-Sänger Lesley Knife, der auch als Gast auf der Single 'To Freedom' zu hören ist, werden alle geplanten Konzerte von DYMNA LOTVA offiziell verboten und die Live-Besetzung der Band ist zur Auflösung gezwungen. Sängerin Nokt Aeon kann ihrer politisch motivierten Verhaftung nur durch Flucht außer Landes entgehen. Das Duo will sich in der Ukraine treffen, als der russische Überfall den Plan zunichte macht. Nach zwei Wochen schweren Bombardements durch Russland und harten Kämpfen um Irpin gelingt Nokt Aeon die Flucht aus der Stadt. Beide Musiker finden schließlich Aufnahme in Polen. Für DYMNA LOTVA ist die Veröffentlichung von "The Land under the Black Wings: Blood" daher auch ein Akt des Widerstands. Ihre Musik kann auf mehr als eine Weise gehört werden: Es handelt sich zunächst, nur für sich genommen, um ein wundervoll melancholisches, zeitgenössisches Metal-Album auf der dunklen Seite des Genres; mit einem hörbar belarussischen Einschlag. Doch aus einer erweiterten künstlerischen Perspektive betrachtet, ist DYMNA LOTVAs "The Land under the Black Wings": Blood" ein klagender, wütender Schrei nach Freiheit und Gerechtigkeit!

With his sophomore full-length album, Born Hot, Chris Farren paired polished, up-beat pop songs with lyrics full of self-examination and insecurity, all while developing a newfound sense of humor when it came to promoting himself. Stereogum called it “a tongue-in-cheek exploration of ideas of confidence and self-loathing," while The Atlantic featured it on their “Best Albums of 2019” list.

On his third full-length album, Doom Singer, Farren injects his latest work with a newfound sense of power and cohesion. Collaborating for the first time with outside drummer Frankie Impastato (Macseal), Farren's songs take on a whole new dimensionality, with Impastato's live drums bringing a fresh spontaneity to the tracks. Doom Singer marks another significant milestone in Farren's career as it is the first time he collaborated with a producer, multi-instrumentalist Melina Duterte (Jay Som, Bachelor, Routine). Her masterful production experience adds a layer of sophistication to Farren's sound, creating a rich and multi- dimensional sonic landscape that takes his music to new heights. With Duterte's keen ear and meticulous attention to detail, the album resonates with a level of clarity and depth that showcases Farren's songwriting and vocal abilities in a whole new light.

Chris Farren’s music has been praised in outlets such as MTV, Stereogum, and The Atlantic, who describes his music as having “bright-eyed hooks, sparkly orchestration, and tight songwriting.” With numerous world tours alongside artists such as Jeff Rosenstock, The Gaslight Anthem, Laura Stevenson, and others, Farren has been building a dedicated following of fans who connect with his introspective lyrics and infectious pop sensibilities.

Mercury Prize-nominated Portico Quartet has always been an impossible band to pin down. Sending out echoes of jazz, electronica, ambient music and minimalism, the group created their own singular, cinematic sound over the course of three studio albums, from their 2007 breakthrough 'Knee-Deep in the North Sea', and 2010 John Leckie produced 'Isla', to the self titled record 'Portico Quartet' in 2012. Now rebooted as Portico Quartet after a brief spell as the three-piece Portico, the group are set to release their fourth studio album Art In The Age Of Automation this August on Manchester's forward thinking indy jazz and electronica label Gondwana Records. It's an eagerly anticipated return, with the band teasing both a return to their mesmeric signature sound and fresh new sonic departures in their new music. Featuring the singles Endless and A Luminous Beam.

Dot Allison returns with a new solo album, Consciousology. After over a decade away, the former One Dove singer and songwriter broke cover in 2021 with Heart-Shaped Scars and this new album follows just two years later, as she hits a purple patch of songwriting. It’s also her first full release for Sonic Cathedral after contributing to Mark Peters’ acclaimed Red Sunset Dreams last year. Consciousology finds multi-instrumentalist Dot joined by the London Contemporary Orchestra, her new labelmate Andy Bell from Ride, who plays guitar on two tracks, and Hannah Peel, who is responsible for some of the string arrangements with both the LCO and a stellar group of Scottish string players. It expands on the styles and themes of the previous album, all while pushing everything just that little bit further – the songs sound bigger, more avant-garde and experimental and, occasionally, properly out-there and psychedelic. “I wanted to make some albums that felt like a set, exploring love, what lies beyond the visible and how all these aspects dovetail together,” explains Dot. “I see Consciousology a more psych Heart-Shaped Scars with a far fuller, more immersive sound and so, in that sense, it’s a more wayward, bolder, rule-breaking partner.” Right from the eye-catching artwork by PJ Harvey collaborator Maria Mochnacz it definitely does not play it safe. It veers from the techno-played-as-folk of opener ‘Shyness Of Crowns’ and ‘220Hz’ and the Linda Perhacs-meets-The Velvet Underground chug of the first single ‘Unchanged’ to the Mercury Rev-style fantasia of ‘Bleached By The Sun’, the Brian Wilson-esque harmonies of ‘Moon Flowers’ and the kaleidoscopic colour trip of ‘Double Rainbow’. Elsewhere there are echoes of Desertshore-era Nico, Jack Nitzsche’s work with Neil Young, Karen Dalton and Anne Briggs before the relative simplicity of the Tim Hardin-inspired closer ‘Weeping Roses’. It’s a brilliant, breathtaking record.

Soulful rocking blues making waves all over.

Hot on the heels of his successful first Rubi Records release, Ashley Tindall, AKA Skeptical, comes with another three-track EP showcasing his evolving and expanding sound. The opener, 'Rhubarb', shows clear influences of fatherhood, with sampled sounds of happy childhood leading into what is possibly Skeptical's deepest track to date. While this is no piece of bland 'intelligent' D&B by any stretch, the build up intro of warm pads that leads into a chilled head-nodder stands a good chance of having you listening with eyes closed, smiling as fond memories wash over you. Next up is the deceptive 'Capsize'. Starting with the strings of an old sea shanty, the track sounds like it will follow the more chilled route of 'Rhubarb', before the introduction of some twisted minimal sonics and trademark 'steppy Skeppy' drums quickly change that notion! The swift addition of a fizzing, rubber-band b-line completes the switch up and you're sailing on far from calm waters. The return of the shanty violins amidst this is inspired, showing that breaking from the expected norm is not just something that this producer isn't shy of doing, but something he does exceptionally well. To round off, Skeptical steps back into more typical sonic territory with a slice of intense D&B minimalism titled 'Foiled'. This deceptively simple-sounding track hides a wealth of meticulously-crafted and perfectly-balanced elements that deliver a somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere that will appeal to lovers of the outer-edges of cutting-edge D&B. Skeptical's new EP promises to be just as successful as his first release, showcasing his unique and evolving sound.

PUBLIC INTEREST can do no wrong in our eyes and they held the door open for you again. This LP is even denser and fuller than their previous Between 12". If you like dark post-punk, you might like this, as much as we do. Synthy post-punk that surprises with every track. ETT is proud to bring the 2nd vinyl from this project out of Oakland featuring (or maybe even consisting entirely of?) a member of Marbled Eye. Marbled Eye’s recent recordings showcased their ability to write catchy post-punk tunes and this 8-song LP from Public Interest is the same level. While you’ll hear plenty of those memorable guitar lines that made the Marbled Eye tracks so great, the songs here feel snappier, more concerned with generating a pop-inspired forward momentum than stretching things out and floating in mid-air. The angular synth lines and mechanical rhythms are a nice counterpoint to those fluid guitar lines, imbuing Between with an irresistible tension. This is utterly brilliant. I don't have a favourite track because this record is just good and coherent in its integrity. Guitars sound ace, drums and bass are on point and the vocals give some pop shades that are never annoying. Really great enjoyable LP.

The Side Eyes are back with the follow up to their 2017 self-titled debut album and are asking the question What’s Your Problem? Anyone suspecting that the Southern California band may have mellowed out in the five years between albums will have those suspicions shattered within the first twenty seconds of the opening track “Get Me Out.” If anything, the band is now harder, faster and angrier than they were the first time around. Vocalist Astrid McDonald is in fiery fine form calling out everything from phonies to shit-talkers to people that simply aren’t nice. Brothers Kevin and Chris Devine on guitar and bass and drummer Sam Mankinen thunder through the twelve tracks here at a breakneck speed that is positively pummeling. While The Side Eyes sound like a throwback to early Southern California hardcore punk rock like Circle Jerks and the Adolescents, the band also sites more recent bands like Ceremony, Glue and Babes In Toyland as influences. Produced by Steve McDonald (Redd Kross / Melvins) and clocking in at under twenty minutes (while spinning at 45 RPM), What’s Your Problem is a modern punk rock gem that blows past the sonic barriers of their past inspirations. This is great stuff!

Following his tenure fronting British psychedelic rock act The Web, who cut a couple of likeable albums featuring his bluesy, soulful lead, US-born vocalist Mississippi John L. Watson went solo, working with Pete Wingfield on his 1970 debut, White Hot Blue Black. Superior sophomore set Let’s Straighten It Out was released on Bob Kingston’s Spark label in 1975 and credited to John L. Watson and White Mouse, with Watson headed in a funk direction; along with the potent title track, there’s a fine cut of Gwen McCrae’s ‘Rockin’ Chair,’ making the set a sure-fire winner for Watson fans and lovers of British funk and soul.

Betty Davis was a musical maverick with vision. Image, substance, sex, and grit combined with a badass band that could deliver the funk bed backbone to the sultry music between the sheets. After cutting two notorious discs for the Just Sunshine label (Betty Davis and They Say I’m Different), and Nasty Gal for Island Records, Davis went to work on her most personal and expressive record yet. After capturing 10 hard-hitting tracks in 1976 at the remote Studio In The Country (Louisiana), a creative difference with her then label caused the platter to be unexpectedly shelved. Davis would cut one final album and soon retreat from the music business, completely disappearing from the public eye.

Is It Love Or Desire is a little-known gem in the Davis catalog. Mastered from the original tapes, and untouched for over 30 years, this release features detailed liner notes, the originally intended artwork housed in a lavishly packaged digipak, rare photos, archival material, and recent interviews with Davis and her skin-tight band Funk House.

Never bootlegged, never released, never heard until now, the secret story of this lost album will finally enter the history books and cement this bold soul sisters contributions to music and popular culture. Its time to get down…

With the timely reissue of Megalon's highly acclaimed album 'Pandora's Box,' we are now thrilled to present the first of two archival compilations by the London-based electronic production duo.

This compilation meticulously curates handpicked tracks from Megalon's 1993 collection, featuring music from their EPs released on the legendary Plink Plonk label during that year. By delving into these archival tracks, the compilation effortlessly showcases Megalon's signature blend of modern, forward-thinking, and impeccably sleek techno hybrids. Prepare yourself for a diverse range of musical moods that provide a comprehensive 360° sonic experience of Megalon's esteemed catalog, ranging from deep techno meditations to high-octane dancefloor anthems.

Every track included in this compilation has been meticulously sourced from Megalon's original DAT tape archive and expertly remastered by the highly skilled Curvepusher. Furthermore, the artwork and design have been thoughtfully crafted under the watchful eye of Rogan Jeans, the original Plink Plonk Records and Megalon designer, ensuring a visually captivating experience that complements the music perfectly.

The electric eels were the first punk band, full stop. They may not have “started” the genre, but they were the first to tick all the boxes. The eels rejected every 1970s rock convention—professionalism, virtuosity, subject matter, image. Dave E.’s caustic vocals, complete with an aggressive lisp and a head full of snot, would become de rigeur a few years after the group disbanded. Meanwhile, the songs’ focus on car crashes, suicide, neuroses, and generally hating people were as far out of the mainstream as possible. The two eels tracks that do approach the subject of romance couch it in terms of not really caring that much about it (“Jaguar Ride”) or placing it in the context of a grisly murder (“Silver Daggers”). Also consider John Morton’s signature guitar sound, a nails-on-chalkboard tone with brutally free soloing inspired more by Albert Ayler than the blues or aspirations to technical facility. Ditto Dave E.’s clarinet playing and affection for lawnmowers and vacuums during live performance. They were notoriously violent not only among themselves, but towards audiences, police, and anyone unfortunate enough to be around them when things went south. Then of course there are the leather jackets, the clothing festooned with rat traps or safety pins. And no bass player, why bother. There is simply no other “proto” band to have had all these pieces in place circa 1973- 1975. Yet it is a mistake to consider the eels exclusively in such a context. Yes, the eels could and did shock anyone who encountered them, but they also had great songs. While both Dave and John were visionary writers, they also had rhythm guitarist Brian McMahon, a melody and riff machine who wrote many of the band’s signature songs. And they were no one-trick pony. Although much of the band’s material is appropriately high-energy, there is also the downer eels—morbid, harmonically risky, and in full existential crisis. Although it’s not a focus of this compilation, the eels also had a penchant for completely free improvisation. Over the last forty plus years, there have been several electric eels compilations. Spin Age Blasters is quite simply the best one ever assembled, every single key track is here in its best version, properly mastered by John Golden, and sequenced with an eye towards both flow between tracks as well as individation between sides. A true monster of an album.

If your brain has a shortlist of bands that instantly evoke New Wave, Suburban Lawns deserve a slot right next to the likes of Devo, Talking Heads and the B-52’s. After putting out two singles on their own Suburban Industrial imprint, the Lawns signed to I.R.S. Records and released their debut LP in 1981. While the band gained cult status thanks in part to a Jonathan Demme-produced music video which aired on Saturday Night Live, their self-titled album would sadly be the five-piece’s only full-length statement. Suburban Lawns’ asymmetrical aesthetic is personified by co-vocalist Su Tissue, whose mesmerizing stage persona was at once childlike and terrifying. Her unique style embodies the awkward/arty female singer of the Reagan era, while the group’s male vocals—courtesy of Frankie Ennui, Vex Billingsgate and John McBurney—maintain the satirical themes of Southern California’s postwar mirage of limitless sprawl. Suburban Lawns’ catchiness can be attributed to their drum-tight performance and taut songwriting. Listen to the vocal trade-offs on “Anything,” which could have easily come out on any purely Punk label from LA at the time, while Tissue’s deadpan delivery on “Janitor” glides into the best art-warble this side of Lene Lovich, broaching the possibility of nuclear annihilation with a murmured “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom.” From a West Coast scene dominated by 7-inch singles and EPs, the Suburban Lawns’ lone LP remains in a class with precious few. It’s not surprising that they found acceptance in the Hollywood punk scene, despite their Long Beach roots, and would influence other bands such as Minutemen. This is not a disc that will get parked in your collection hoping to get pulled once in a while; this is a record you will play.

‘Mellifluous’... is a word you won’t hear much when conversation turns to early Pooh Sticks records. But ‘noise pollution’, sure: that comes up. I’ve even used it myself. So look away now if you must: ‘Straight Up: Noise Pollution C88-90’ is a selection of some of the most loved/despised/ignored tracks released by The Pooh Sticks on however many records it was before it all went wilfully ‘American’ sometime around dotted-lining for BMG mega-corp in 1991.
The record has highlights and lowlights. You and me, we’d probably agree on most of them. We chose a reasonable cross-section, I think (although there could’ve been more tambourine), including:
- “On Tape” - zeitgeist-nailin’ strum and strangle.
- “I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well” - long title
- “Teenage High” - breathy sweetness sneaked onto the depraved Sympathy For The Record Industry label.
- “Dying For It” - the Vaselines cover which beat Nirvana by a full two years (though theirs sold better).
... and more! It’s like Christmas (no, blocking up the chimney won’t help: we’ve cut spare keys). And all of this in a nice gatefold sleeve, and on Steve McQueen’s- eyes blue vinyl. And there’s even a repro poster for the March ’89 Pastels/Pooh Sticks/Vaselines gig up London way (“I swear I was there”, people say).
On behalf of the group, I hope you enjoy it. No, really. It was all a long time ago but I remember we had fun. Maybe you were even there having fun with us.