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The multi-platinum album The Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies is the prove it's possible to create a fantastic album overnight, it was recorded in the night of 27th November 1987 using just one microphone, a DAT recorder and the wonderful acoustics of the Holy Trinity in Toronto.

The album includes a mixture of original material by the band and covers of classic folk, rock and country songs, including the band's most famous single, a cover of The Velvet Underground's Sweet Jane'.

The Trinity Session is completely remastered and includes 2 tracks that were previously not included on the album, Blue Moon Revisited' and Working On A Building'. The records are packed in a newly designed gatefold with additional photos and features new liner notes written by author and music editor Jason Schneider.

The first pressing is an exclusive limited edition of 1.000 numbered copies on transparent red vinyl.

Exclusive gatefold matte jacket including 2 x 180g vinyl records. Golden sticker with product description top left of the front cover. MP3 Download coupon included. Featuring original Parc Avenue critically acclaimed album and debut EP With/Avec. Originally released in 2008 via Secret City Records, this album was shortlisted for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize and was nominated for a 2009 Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year. The band were also nominated for New Group of the Year.

Hailing from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Call It Off is a four piece recharging the energetic catchy three-chord punk pop, popularized by bands such as Alkaline Trio, Green Day, Blink-182 and many more. With two well-received EPs they played numerous shows including Groezrock Festival, and supported dozens of pop punk legends including New Found Glory, The Story So Far, The Wonder Years and Panic! At The Disco.

Call It Off received both national and international airplay and has over half a million streams on Youtube, Spotify and iTunes. In 2017 they are ready to take over the world with a brand new album.

Abandoned has been produced by Robin van Loenen (Destine) and is the follow up to the debut Lovers & Liars from 2015. The title track of the album has recently been released and has received major airplay on (inter)national radio stations. As a result, Call It Off was deservingly announced 3FM Serious Talent.

Jerry Cantrell is an American musician who is best known as the lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and main songwriter for the rock band Alice in Chains. He also has a solo career and released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip in 2002.

Degradation Trip is the second and to date, final solo album by Jerry Cantrell, originally released in 2002. On the album, Cantrell enlisted drummer Mike Bordin (Faith No More) and bassist Robert Trujillo (Suicidal,Tendencies, Ozzy Osbourne). The album was dedicated to Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley, who died two months before the album's release. Degradation Trip featured two singles and was well received by critics, faring better than Cantrell's solo debut and bearing strong resemblance to his work in Alice in Chains.

A hallmark of Cantrell's style, many unorthodox rhythms and time signatures are exhibited throughout the album as well as heavy use of wa-wa guitar effect and choir-like vocal harmonies.

The album's grungy heaviness is balanced, however, by moody acoustic ballads such as the somber Angel Eyes'. Serene, tangy guitar riffs featured in the likes of Gone' elude more to Cantrell's Southern roots.

Available on vinyl for the first time, the first 1.500 numbered copies are pressed on transparent green vinyl.

Single Pocket Cardboard Jacket, Standard weight Black Vinyl, Printed inner Sleeve, MP3 Download Included. Five Roses is the debut album from Miracle Fortress, initially released on May 2nd 2007 via Secret City Records, only on CD. The album was part of the 2007 Polaris Music Prize's short list. Almost 10 years after, Secret City Records is releasing on vinyl this emblematic album that was one of their first releases.

Cobalt Chapel were formed in late 2014, by London based vocalist and actress Cecilia Fage (Matt Berry & The Maypoles) and Sheffield based musician Jarrod Gosling (I Monster and Regal Worm). Following the recording of their debut album they were asked by Andy Votel to play their first show at this year's Festival No 6.

The sounds and textures on this debut are captivating and atmospheric, conjured up from vintage organs and effects, vintage drums and drum machines, fused together with Cecilia's distinctive English lead and layered vocals.

The album explores imagined scenarios, finding inspiration in folklore, 1960's and 70's science fiction and horror ('Black Eyes' tells the story from the point of view of a 'Stepford wife' in the original film) as well as personal experience.

Founded only in 2014, young alternative-pop quintet Giant Rooks ranks among the hottest newcomers in the German independent scene. The band of small Westphalian town Hamm delights with atmospherically dense sound and the powerful voice of singer Finn. Their energetic live shows happen beyond established musical genres: Giant Rooks admirably play with their very own self-invented genre ,art-pop', meaning artistic experimentation, combined with pop elements. This makes their songs a gripping mix of indie rock, folk and electro, melancholic and danceable at the same time.

The album was produced by John Congleton (Blondie, Sigur Ros), Greg Saunier of Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu's own Angela Seo.

It features guest appearances by fabled minimalist composer Charlemagne Palestine, L.A. Banjee Ball superstar commentator Enyce Smith, Swans guitar virtuoso Kristof Hahn and legendary drag artist and personal hero of Xiu Xiu, Vaginal Davis.

FORGET was recorded during a period of epic productivity for Xiu Xiu. While writing FORGET, they released the lauded Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, collaborated with Mitski on a song for an upcoming John Cameron Mitchell film, composed music for art installations by Danh Vo, recorded an album with Merzbow and scored an experimental reworking of the Mozart opera, The Magic Flute. All of this frantic, external activity lead to a softly damaged dreaminess and broadened intent that has not been heard before in other Xiu Xiu works.

Standout track, Wondering' is one of the catchiest boogie pop gems in the Xiu Xiu catalog, but like much of FORGET, it still bears an underlying tension that manifests differently in each piece. From the haunted guitar duet of "Petite", the hilariously fraught lyrics of "Get Up," the advanced industrial boxing match of "Jenny GoGo," or the experimental goth explosion of "Faith, Torn Apart", all the songs, in their own ways, build to a roiling boil of a fate in vanishing.

The calligraphy on the cover translates literally to "we forget." It bows to the universality of everything and everyone's inevitable decline and foggy disappearance. Regarding the album title, Xiu Xiu singer Jamie Stewart said, To forget uncontrollably embraces the duality of human frailty. It is a rebirth in blanked out renewal but it also drowns and mutilates our attempt to hold on to what is dear.' FORGET is both the palliative fade out of a traumatic's past but also the trampling pain of a beautiful one's decay.

Xiu Xiu is Shayna Dunkelman, Angela Seo and Jamie "Butch Jenny" Stewart.

The album was produced by John Congleton (Blondie, Sigur Ros), Greg Saunier of Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu's own Angela Seo.

It features guest appearances by fabled minimalist composer Charlemagne Palestine, L.A. Banjee Ball superstar commentator Enyce Smith, Swans guitar virtuoso Kristof Hahn and legendary drag artist and personal hero of Xiu Xiu, Vaginal Davis.

FORGET was recorded during a period of epic productivity for Xiu Xiu. While writing FORGET, they released the lauded Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, collaborated with Mitski on a song for an upcoming John Cameron Mitchell film, composed music for art installations by Danh Vo, recorded an album with Merzbow and scored an experimental reworking of the Mozart opera, The Magic Flute. All of this frantic, external activity lead to a softly damaged dreaminess and broadened intent that has not been heard before in other Xiu Xiu works.

Standout track, Wondering' is one of the catchiest boogie pop gems in the Xiu Xiu catalog, but like much of FORGET, it still bears an underlying tension that manifests differently in each piece. From the haunted guitar duet of "Petite", the hilariously fraught lyrics of "Get Up," the advanced industrial boxing match of "Jenny GoGo," or the experimental goth explosion of "Faith, Torn Apart", all the songs, in their own ways, build to a roiling boil of a fate in vanishing.

The calligraphy on the cover translates literally to "we forget." It bows to the universality of everything and everyone's inevitable decline and foggy disappearance. Regarding the album title, Xiu Xiu singer Jamie Stewart said, To forget uncontrollably embraces the duality of human frailty. It is a rebirth in blanked out renewal but it also drowns and mutilates our attempt to hold on to what is dear.' FORGET is both the palliative fade out of a traumatic's past but also the trampling pain of a beautiful one's decay.

Xiu Xiu is Shayna Dunkelman, Angela Seo and Jamie "Butch Jenny" Stewart.

Gabriel S. Schray is a producer and musician living Stateside in Akron, Ohio, a city of 200,000 people. He's been making and putting out music for years, though save for an LP on Bark & Hiss in 2012, most of his work has been self-released. For his latest album he's partnered with Last Resort, a brand new London-based label born from the NTS Radio show of the same name. *Gabriel* is a sunny, mellow record, rich with light and emotion. None of its eight tracks are easily confined to any one genre, floating somewhere between ambient, new age and whatever style or sound you'd ascribe to The Durutti Column or Talk Talk. On a more modern tip, think Suzanne Kraft or Lord Of The Isles (minus the kick drums). Schray played all the various instruments himself, whittling down the final versions from their lengthy original recordings. The whole thing took him more than a year to complete-a labour of love assembled organically and with feeling.

Timely outing from two grand masters of exploratory electronics. Kassel Jaeger is the moniker of French musician François Bonnet who works at the GRM and has released a number of books including the highly regarded The Order of Sounds, A Sonorous Archipelago published by Urbanomic in 2016. Jim O'Rourke is known to most through his explorations of the song and shapes, the high and low, the east and south.

Wakes on Cerulean is a joint adventure where process folds upon process and the operation of procedure remains unknown. Amongst a mysterious cloud of excited high frequencies tiny whistling howls. Frog leaps in technique lay out a thrilling and uplifting journey that runs from the soothing to ecstatic and back to the buoyant again.

Wakes on Cerulean is a staggering feast of the joys found in electronic process. A malleable bubble of hovering excitement, melody and joyous refrain.

All music by Sft except colour fullness by Sft + Elysian Quartet + Sawada

Sft life recordings: Lubars, Reinickendorf, Berlin Biwako Hall for Performing Arts, Lake Biwa Marshall Leasing, Cambridgeshire RPPS School London, Hammersmith Bankside, River Thames New National Theatre, Tokyo Passos Manuel Old Cinema, Porto Agua Amarga Cabo de Gato-Nijar Natural Park, Andalucia

Vocals by Misako Yabuuchi and Emma Smith Mumbai night dogs recorded by Avjit Mukul Kishore

The rest by Sft and family

Strings recorded at Miloko Studios, Hoxton Square for the film Derek (2008) by Isaac Julien The Elysian Quartet are Emma Smith, Vince Sipprell, Jenny Logan and Laura Moody

I would like to thank the following collaborative artists without whom nothing you hear would have been recorded: Alison Shotz, Shiro Takatani, Cibic Jasmina, Sandro Kopp, Isaac Julien, Cynthia Beatt, Davide Quayola, Tilda Swinton

Recordings made between 2008 - 2016 Life sounds recorded with the Roland Edirol R-09 and iPhone Edited on Mac OSX. Mac Maintenance, Karl Hall at AGT Mastered & cut at D&M, Berlin, September 2016 Engineered by Rashad Becker

Photograph of Yuko Hirai as GIRAFFE by Sft @ NNT, Tokyo, 2016 Design, David Coppenhall

Sft thanks Factory Floor, The Charlatans, Klara Lewis, Rainier Lericolais, Olivia Louvell, The Derek Jarman Lab, Tilda Swinton and The BFI for work and play

May peace prevail on Earth

Editions Mego is proud to present the latest opus from legendary British composer, actor, sound designer and all round fine human Simon Fisher Turner. Giraffe is a new major work which blurs the lines between sound design and song, machine severity and narrative sentimentality. Subtitled 'living in sounds and music' Giraffe take the listener through a vast journey where an abstract clacking of unknown origin rubs up against a melancholic electronic sequence. 'Life sounds' were captured with a portable hard disc recorder and i-phone and appear alongside contemporar sound design. Emma Smith provides the narrative on 'Slight Smile' whilst electronic machines grind amongst background industrial klang in 'Mud Larks'. 'Save As' revolves around a beautiful simple piano motif which soon folds into an unnerving field recording and drone combination.

Giraffe is a document of interior and exterior duality. A living space where machines and the surrounding world collide, a sonic landscape where musical and nonmusical elements are placed on an level hierarchy. The alchemy of these constituent parts results in the magic of Giraffe, one where the symbiotic sequence of events highlights a unique approach to sound as rapturous matter in whatever form it takes.

Having been invited to perform at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland by one of the scientists, HNIA spent a year studying particle physics and then created Patterns of Light. The scientist, Dr. James Beacham, was asked to "fact check for bad data, misquotes, dragons, pseudoscience and to make sure the witchcraft to physics ratio wouldn't be too embarrassing," he agreed and soon sent pages of notes, screenshots, event displayes and also recommended books and videos.

Patterns of Light is the result of this exchange of information. The research focuses on dark matter, dark energy, the search for extra dimensions, mini-black holes and the machinery that collides particles at high speeds using thirteen teraelectronvolts but also studies the fundamental forces of nature as seen through the classic creation myths, the visionary theology of Hildegard Von Bingen, medieval manuscripts and cosmic maps, all in an effort to turn the physics back into poetry.

Patterns of Light is His Name is Alive's 100th release since their first cassette in 1986. HNIA spent 13 years recording for the legendary label 4AD and sold 100,000+ records, toured the world, received gold and platinum records for soundtracking Tom Cruise's nervous breakdown in the movie Jerry Maguire and collaborated on two short films with famed animators the Quay Brothers.

Having been invited to perform at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland by one of the scientists, HNIA spent a year studying particle physics and then created Patterns of Light. The scientist, Dr. James Beacham, was asked to "fact check for bad data, misquotes, dragons, pseudoscience and to make sure the witchcraft to physics ratio wouldn't be too embarrassing," he agreed and soon sent pages of notes, screenshots, event displayes and also recommended books and videos.

Patterns of Light is the result of this exchange of information. The research focuses on dark matter, dark energy, the search for extra dimensions, mini-black holes and the machinery that collides particles at high speeds using thirteen teraelectronvolts but also studies the fundamental forces of nature as seen through the classic creation myths, the visionary theology of Hildegard Von Bingen, medieval manuscripts and cosmic maps, all in an effort to turn the physics back into poetry.

Patterns of Light is His Name is Alive's 100th release since their first cassette in 1986. HNIA spent 13 years recording for the legendary label 4AD and sold 100,000+ records, toured the world, received gold and platinum records for soundtracking Tom Cruise's nervous breakdown in the movie Jerry Maguire and collaborated on two short films with famed animators the Quay Brothers.

ZZ Ramirez (The Ukiah Drag, Destruction Unit), Shawn Halpin (Craow) and Nina Hartman are Tropical Skin Byrds.
For fans of early SST and every cool band from Florida in the last 10 years.

Mines psychedelia and punk rock across five new tracks' - CLRVYNT

Catchy hard-hitting drum machine punk featuring members of The Sediment Club and GLOSS.
B side features a remix of the title track by Boy Harsher.

As much acid induced hardcore as it is scuzzy lo-fi thrash' - Post Trash (Best New Music)
Loaded with pummeling rhythms and frontman Jackieboy's thunderously resonant vocals.' - Impose
76 seconds of rabid, loud, fast guitar music' - Pitchfork
An anxiety-ridden psychedelic punk nightmare. It's fucked, but it rips' - CLRVYNT

Produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), Instigator is Kevin Devine's ninth full-length album and comes on the heels of a busy few years: In addition to recording two albums with Bad Books (the indie-rock supergroup he formed with members of Manchester Orchestra), he released the Kickstarter-funded double-album collection Bubblegum and Bulldozer in 2013 along with the wildly ambitious 2015 Devinyl Splits 7' series with the likes of Brand New's Jesse Lacey, Perfect Pussy's Meredith Graves and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws. Devine is a master storyteller, and he imbues Instigator - from the biting power-pop of "Both Ways" to the angular "Guard Your Gates" & gorgeously finger-picked No One Says You Have To' - with intricate details and often-uncomfortable truths. Their meanings are personal, but their themes are universal. It's a skill that makes both his albums and his live show so alluring: Even when Devine's writing about the world at large, he's pointing a mirror back at himself. When Devine's past lives meet his present-day self on the career-defining I Was Alive Back Then,' the beautiful duality of his art takes center stage: Life is never all peril or perfection, a country ripped apart by war and social injustice or the joy of holding your child for the first time. The extremes might be easier to define, but it's in the middle where life really happens.

Produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), Instigator is Kevin Devine's ninth full-length album and comes on the heels of a busy few years: In addition to recording two albums with Bad Books (the indie-rock supergroup he formed with members of Manchester Orchestra), he released the Kickstarter-funded double-album collection Bubblegum and Bulldozer in 2013 along with the wildly ambitious 2015 Devinyl Splits 7' series with the likes of Brand New's Jesse Lacey, Perfect Pussy's Meredith Graves and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws. Devine is a master storyteller, and he imbues Instigator - from the biting power-pop of "Both Ways" to the angular "Guard Your Gates" & gorgeously finger-picked No One Says You Have To' - with intricate details and often-uncomfortable truths. Their meanings are personal, but their themes are universal. It's a skill that makes both his albums and his live show so alluring: Even when Devine's writing about the world at large, he's pointing a mirror back at himself. When Devine's past lives meet his present-day self on the career-defining I Was Alive Back Then,' the beautiful duality of his art takes center stage: Life is never all peril or perfection, a country ripped apart by war and social injustice or the joy of holding your child for the first time. The extremes might be easier to define, but it's in the middle where life really happens.

Inuit artist Tanya Tagaq won the Polaris Music Prize for best Canadian album in 2014, for Animism. Those who thought she had then made her definitive artistic statement are in for a surprise. Also in for a shock are those who thought international success, playing to major festivals and packed houses all over the world, would lead to a mellower sound, or a more laid back approach.
Tagaq follows up Animism with Retribution, an even more musically aggressive, more aggressively political, more challenging, more spine tingling, more powerful masterpiece. This album is a cohesive, whole statement. Why sugarcoat it This album is about rape. Rape of women, rape of the land, rape of children, despoiling of traditional lands without consent. Hence the chilling cover version of Nirvana's song "Rape Me."

On September 23rd Whistlejacket release a limited edition vinyl album which brings together their two digital EP releases thus far, 'Oh Brother' and 'What I Ate On Sunday', in one giant tsunami of neo-grunge fuzzrock tsound. The release coincides with live dates in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands with a headline show at The Lexington in London Town to polish things off on September 19th.
If alt.radio smashes like 'Stay-N' and 'Holiday' indicated a shimmering, low-slung face-off between Teenage Fanclub and Sonic Youth then the four-song 'Oh Brother' EP - which was released on September 2nd - fittingly saw the quintet growing up, adding groovy motorik undercurrents and trashy wig-outs to their already pretty darned tempestuous indierock template with tracks like 'Oh Brother' and 'Hotter Than Heaven', as you can hear here: It makes sense, too: over the past year Whistlejacket have shared stages with the frenetically cosmic likes of Diiv, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Yuck and Bully and stealthily worked the London underground scene with shows for Moth Club, Bad Vibrations, Club Fandango and John Kennedy's X-posure as well as their own admirable DIY promoting endeavours.

Cancer are a duo consisting of Nikolaj Manuel Vonsild and Kristian Finne Kristensen. Nikolaj is also known as the lead singer of electronic band When Saints Go Machine and Kristian from his americana-inspired solo-career as Chorus Grant.
Cancer's forthcoming debut album (entitled Totem) follows the successful 2014-EP Ragazzi that quickly sold out its 500-unit vinyl run and gained the band a substantial fan-base in their home country Denmark while reaching key media internationally including a healthy Hypem popular chart placement,
spot plays at BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, the playlists at Amazing Radio and DR P6 Beat as well as online features from The Fader, DIY, Noisey, Pigeons & Planes and many more.
The name Cancer comes from personal experience. It comes from the disease, of course,' says Nikolaj. It's the greatest tragedy of my life, losing one of my parents to cancer.' As Nikolaj was going through this traumatic event he met Kristian and the two started making music. He continues: I started thinking about this vacuum that occurs when someone is ill, or someone dies, where everyone is able to speak and people are so open.
There's also a lot of beauty in all of this'. Kristian continues: Our songs are not specifically about dark matters concerning the disease, but also the light and the love and the beauty of relationships between people. Friends, family...all of this!'

After locking themselves in studio for the month of March, the group's time and spirit lead to the collection of songs that make up TERRAFORM.  Roberts explains, Terraforming is the concept of going to another planet and making it viable and livable for humans. But in a sense, for this record it can be seen as planting the seeds for that sort of renewal in your own life - that regardless of how much you have broken the parts of your life along the way, there is always a chance to start over.' TERRAFORM is the sixth full-length album release since 2015's COUNTING THE DAYS EP and 2014's album LO-FANTASY. Roberts believes the key to the band's longevity is their steadfast enthusiasm to stick to their artistic guns and consistently work to make a better album each time.  Roberts emphasizes, I think the challenge for our band is to still deliver the music with a sense of spontaneity, a sense of urgency and I think that when we go into a new record, we sort of loosen the grips of other people's expectations and our own expectations.' The lead single If You Want It' is already a chart-climbing success currently in the top 5 at Alternative radio and counting.  The tune captures what Sam Roberts Band does best, creative instrumental melodies and memorable lyrics that allow their listeners to interpret their own meanings from the songs.  And in Sam's own words: "It's about a trip to Hell... And hopefully back...' The acclaimed Montreal based five-piece band includes Sam Roberts (lead vocals, guitar), Dave Nugent (guitar), Eric Fares (keyboard, guitar), Josh Trager (drums), and James Hall (bass). 

The Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Veronica Falls, The Bats, Ultimate Painting, Toy. Proper Ornaments is the project of James Hoare (Ultimate Painting, Veronica Falls) and Max Oscarnold (Toy, Pink Flames). Debut LP 'Wooden Head' (FortunaPop 2014) perfected the unique slant of their previous work. James and Max started out writing the follow-up in January 2015. On 'Foxhole' they've sliced away a whole stratum of their sound, removing some distortion and lowering the frequency of plectrum strokes to allow more nuanced, piano-led ideas to emerge. The title isn't a reference to Television's jaunty proto-punk record but seems to be more of a dark, protective interior, a head space sketched out on 'Jeremy's Song'. While their particularly recognisable production style (a bright, frozen counterpoint to the airless mixes one encounters more often) remains, three things stand out as likely reasons for the shift in mood. By the time they got around to recording again in James' bedroom in Finsbury Park that Summer, the instability around the recording of 'Wooden Head' (and the five years before) had slid into a deep and seething acrimony. Second, they both bought pianos. Third, when the band, with Daniel Nellis and Bobby Syme joining on bass and drums went to record at Tin Room in Hackney in June, the pinch wheel on the 8 track machine was broken and somehow no one noticed. All but one recording, 'The Frozen Stare,' was hopelessly warped, so they went and did it all again from scratch back at James'. We ended up doing the whole thing there as the atmosphere suited the direction of the foxhole and we were more comfortable working on it in our own time,' says James. That's why the record has a laid back, conversational, not imposing or anxious feel in my opinion. If 'Always There' was the most melodically fluid but dimly lit point of the first record, there are another half album of songs here at least that are as strikingly gorgeous and unsettling. 'Memories,' 'Just a Dream,' 'The Frozen Stare' and 'When We Were Young' are in this mould, as is the icy, slightly devastated goodbye that closes the record 'The Devils,' filled out with piano reminiscent of Big Star's 'Third' or Lou Reed's 'Berlin' and cracked double bass. What was in evidence in two of their earliest songs - 'You Still' and 'Are You Going Blind' - an understated, poetic play of moral sensitivity against a callous distance, of warmth and hostility, has reached its most sustained expression yet and gives their pop moments of a haunted love song quality along the lines of Del Shannon, Lesley Gore or Roy Orbison. 'Bridge by a Tunnel' and 'I Know You Know', on the other hand, share in the breezily abstracted character of 2014 single 'Magazine,' the later laying a sardonic (non)apology - 'I know you know, things could've been different/but they're not' over careful daubs of slide guitar. 'Cremated' is also guitar-lead, and reaches an early apogee of morbid oblivion baiting, while '1969' is a really perfectly recorded grand sweep of sound that recalls Serge Gainsbourg and 'Harvest'-era Neil Young. Proper Ornaments hold the attraction of seeming to not try very hard at all and achieve something outstanding nonetheless.

The Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Veronica Falls, The Bats, Ultimate Painting, Toy. Proper Ornaments is the project of James Hoare (Ultimate Painting, Veronica Falls) and Max Oscarnold (Toy, Pink Flames). Debut LP 'Wooden Head' (FortunaPop 2014) perfected the unique slant of their previous work. James and Max started out writing the follow-up in January 2015. On 'Foxhole' they've sliced away a whole stratum of their sound, removing some distortion and lowering the frequency of plectrum strokes to allow more nuanced, piano-led ideas to emerge. The title isn't a reference to Television's jaunty proto-punk record but seems to be more of a dark, protective interior, a head space sketched out on 'Jeremy's Song'. While their particularly recognisable production style (a bright, frozen counterpoint to the airless mixes one encounters more often) remains, three things stand out as likely reasons for the shift in mood. By the time they got around to recording again in James' bedroom in Finsbury Park that Summer, the instability around the recording of 'Wooden Head' (and the five years before) had slid into a deep and seething acrimony. Second, they both bought pianos. Third, when the band, with Daniel Nellis and Bobby Syme joining on bass and drums went to record at Tin Room in Hackney in June, the pinch wheel on the 8 track machine was broken and somehow no one noticed. All but one recording, 'The Frozen Stare,' was hopelessly warped, so they went and did it all again from scratch back at James'. We ended up doing the whole thing there as the atmosphere suited the direction of the foxhole and we were more comfortable working on it in our own time,' says James. That's why the record has a laid back, conversational, not imposing or anxious feel in my opinion. If 'Always There' was the most melodically fluid but dimly lit point of the first record, there are another half album of songs here at least that are as strikingly gorgeous and unsettling. 'Memories,' 'Just a Dream,' 'The Frozen Stare' and 'When We Were Young' are in this mould, as is the icy, slightly devastated goodbye that closes the record 'The Devils,' filled out with piano reminiscent of Big Star's 'Third' or Lou Reed's 'Berlin' and cracked double bass. What was in evidence in two of their earliest songs - 'You Still' and 'Are You Going Blind' - an understated, poetic play of moral sensitivity against a callous distance, of warmth and hostility, has reached its most sustained expression yet and gives their pop moments of a haunted love song quality along the lines of Del Shannon, Lesley Gore or Roy Orbison. 'Bridge by a Tunnel' and 'I Know You Know', on the other hand, share in the breezily abstracted character of 2014 single 'Magazine,' the later laying a sardonic (non)apology - 'I know you know, things could've been different/but they're not' over careful daubs of slide guitar. 'Cremated' is also guitar-lead, and reaches an early apogee of morbid oblivion baiting, while '1969' is a really perfectly recorded grand sweep of sound that recalls Serge Gainsbourg and 'Harvest'-era Neil Young. Proper Ornaments hold the attraction of seeming to not try very hard at all and achieve something outstanding nonetheless.

New Jersey indie-rock pioneers The Feelies are celebrating their 40th anniversary with the release of 'In Between', their first album of all new material in over 6 years.

Whilst working the post Velvet Underground moves they're so famous for, In Between brings interesting new ideas into the mix.

The twin-guitar attack of songwriters and founders Glenn Mercer and Bill Million is still at the core of the group's infectious sound, paired with the driving rhythmic team of drummer Stan Demeski and percussionist Dave Weckerman, with Brenda Sauter's bass guitar proving a rock solid foundation.

'On the new record we did a lot of it at my house in my home studio with extra equipment, explains Mercer. 'It's the same room where we rehearsed. We've been here since we reformed and a little bit prior to taking the hiatus in the 90's. So it's a room we're really familiar with and feel comfortable in. We also did some recording at an engineer's studio, so it was all done very low key. We refer to it as 'off the clock' when you're not paying an hourly rate, so in that sense it was a lot more relaxed. I don't think anyone would notice a drastic change in the sound or the vibe of the record. I think it sounds a lot more relaxed and laid back.'

'I think all of our albums reflect a certain degree of reaction to the work that we previously did and In Between is no exception,' continues Bill Million. 'We liked the sounds and the feel of the demos for this album and we thought it would be difficult to capture that in a recording studio. So that was our starting point and it evolved in a much more relaxed way that loaned itself to more creative interplay. Time wasn't a component. If you let it, music can take on a life of its own and we wanted to allow the songs to develop with that idea in mind.'

Formed in Haledon NJ in 1976, The Feelies have now released six albums - including their critically acclaimed and influential debut Crazy Rhythms, as well as playing concerts with The Patti Smith Group, REM, and Bob Dylan as well as touring with Lou Reed.

In 2008, The Feelies re-united after a 17 year hiatus to open for long time admirers Sonic Youth at Battery Park and then resurrected their tradition of playing low key gigs at strategic intervals throughout the year rather than doing lengthy tours. They signed with Bar/None the same year, who re-issued The Good Earth and Crazy Rhythms. Here Before was released in 2011 and marked The Feelies first studio album in nearly two decades. In Between continues The Feelies story and is out 24th February on Bar None.

Two brothers from the outskirts of London. Model Man set about on a journey of enlightenment through minimalism. Dissecting the piano, replacing its parts with nuts and bolts and turning conventional instrument into something unpredictable and unique. They say Before releasing anything we were lucky enough to play and record with some great artists such as Damon Albarn and Squarepusher on various projects. They taight us things about minimalizing our toolset and using space to create new textures in our arrangements'
They have enjoyed the support of the likes of Gold Panda. For fans of Nils Frahm, Four Tet, Caribou etc

In the brooding reverberations of a music scene that has since become virtual folklore, Alice In Chains left a beer-soaked stage as glam-metal merchants Diamond Lie, returning two years later in 1989 with a Columbia contract on the strength of their demo tape. Alice In Chains will always be synonymous with the 'grunge' scene and while they were pioneers of the genre alongside fellow Seattle noise grinders Nirvana, they are equally valued as a tour-de-force in metal.
Their California shows at La Reina, Sheraton and the Westminster Forum in September 1990 define their celebratory status as Seattle grunge icons, but also reveal the band's raw, inner sanctum. Considered by many fans to be one of their finest concerts, the La Reina show is a significant reminder of the band's embryonic fire and depth. Promoting their debut album Facelift and on the cusp of a new musical phenomenon, this is the legendary Alice In Chains.
Live On Vinyl proudly presents the entire original KPFK 90.7 FM broadcast of Alice In Chains live at La Reina, Sheraton on 15th September 1990. Professionally re-mastered original broadcast with background liners and rare archival photos.

Invisible Boy is a project fronted by Chris Bierden, bassist for Polica and vital contributor to many Minneapolis-based projects. Bierden has been preforming solo shows under the moniker Invisible Boy for the last 10 years.

The name is taken from the title of a song by Vampire Hands, a beloved psych/punk band in which Bierden was a founding member. This is the first Invisible Boy effort at arranging the material into fully formed songs.

Invisible Boy is about life, death, and a child's relationship to the cosmos. The music is meant to find empathy in a world that is often cold and indifferent.

When making this album, Chris applied the expert fort-building skills of his youth. A makeshift vocal booth was assembled out of three large orange floral couch cushions, two standing vertical upon chairs and one resting over top to create a pillowy square frame with sheets and blankets draped across the back. It stood only 4 feet tall, forcing Bieden to kneel while he cooed into an old East German microphone. Though not entirely structurally sound, it provided adequate insulation to absorb the reflections of his voice that would have otherwise bounced off of the low ceiling and walls of the basement in which he recorded.

Bierden has spent the last five years touring the world as the bass player and back-up vocalist for Poliça. He recorded bass and vocals on the last two Har Mar Superstar records, and developed other projects of note such as Heavy Deeds, Pony Trash, and Bones & Beeker.

LP comes with download code and printed inner sleeve.

Invisible Boy is a project fronted by Chris Bierden, bassist for Polica and vital contributor to many Minneapolis-based projects. Bierden has been preforming solo shows under the moniker Invisible Boy for the last 10 years.

The name is taken from the title of a song by Vampire Hands, a beloved psych/punk band in which Bierden was a founding member. This is the first Invisible Boy effort at arranging the material into fully formed songs.

Invisible Boy is about life, death, and a child's relationship to the cosmos. The music is meant to find empathy in a world that is often cold and indifferent.

When making this album, Chris applied the expert fort-building skills of his youth. A makeshift vocal booth was assembled out of three large orange floral couch cushions, two standing vertical upon chairs and one resting over top to create a pillowy square frame with sheets and blankets draped across the back. It stood only 4 feet tall, forcing Bieden to kneel while he cooed into an old East German microphone. Though not entirely structurally sound, it provided adequate insulation to absorb the reflections of his voice that would have otherwise bounced off of the low ceiling and walls of the basement in which he recorded.

Bierden has spent the last five years touring the world as the bass player and back-up vocalist for Poliça. He recorded bass and vocals on the last two Har Mar Superstar records, and developed other projects of note such as Heavy Deeds, Pony Trash, and Bones & Beeker.

Originally released in 1992, PENG! is the second full-length album by sonic experimentalists Stereolab, it showcases an eclectic variety of styles, from experimental pop to Krautrock to lounge. Sometimes jam-packed with thundering keyboards and driving drums, at other times ethereal, airy and light, PENG! captures this thinking man's band at the early stages of its prolific career. Emulating aspects of the Velvet Underground's rhythms as well as the Moog-happy keyboard euphonies of the early 1970s, Stereolab's far left-of-center pop vision has always been something of a love-'em-or-hate-'em proposition. Longtime fans familiar with the band's later work will find interest in this early recording--it includes the moody, cafe-styled "K-Stars" sung fetchingly in French by Leatitia Sadier

2LP Gatefold + DL. Trupa Trupa play rock, come from Poland and consist of four musicians in a guitars-bass-drums-keyboard-vocals line-up. Their third and latest album, Headache, was released in 2015 on Blue Tapes And X-Ray Records on CD and cassette. A pretty traditional way of doing things, some would say, for a young group from a country that few consider for its rock culture. The story of Headache would perhaps have ended there if a certain Sasha Frere-Jones, one of today's most prominent and influential critics, hadn't written in the Los Angeles Times that "one of the best rock bands doing business now is from Gdansk, Poland." This is the story of a record that proves that sometimes the best things come from where we least expect them and just impose themselves as self-evident. And the quality of this album is indeed self-evident. The fact that it will still be being played in 10 years is self-evident too as is the conviction that here we are dealing with a major record. Trupa Trupa synthesizes what is best in the genre since the early 90s, from Pavement to Slint.

7"

A wonderful 7" from Luca Nieri released at the same time as his new mini album 'Luca Nieri'. The 7" contains one new album track (B Side - Milk and Honey) ans one track from his debut album 'Music From The Dark Branches' (A Side - Hummingbird).

An air of restless individuality has surrounded almost every step in the hermitic history of Wonderfulsound's The Monks Kitchen (Luca Nieri's full band project) and their most industrious and versatile member, illustrator, tattooist, producer and multi-instrumentalist Luca Nieri is no exception.

A humble duo of songs fittingly recorded entirely at home, with Nieri playing every instrument. The soundscape exists in a cosmos, textured and beautifully melancholy.