Parasol New Arrivals • April 25, 2006

Hello folks,

This week at Parasol we are celebrating the magic of spring with gassed up mowers, fewer layers, prehistoric bumblebees the size of humming birds trapped in the office and these hot new records to boot: Om, Eleventh Dream Day, Embryonnck, and The Red Krayola.

Thanks to any of you who attended the Sid & Susie (Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs) show at the Roxy, in Los Angeles on Saturday. Also, big ups to Steve "Jonesey" Jones (of The Sex Pistols) for having us on his radio show last week. We had a great time! We may still have a few autographed copies of the Under The Covers Vol. 1 CD left in the store so order now!

God Save The Queen,

Paul/Roy

Below is a list of new arrivals for this week. To search for a specific item or to browse our entire catalog click here. Or, click here to go back to the Parasol Home Page. Click here to see previous weeks new arrivals.

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Jesu - Silver CD $10.50 (Hydrahead)
Justin K. Broadrick's impressive and storied musical past includes the names of underground heavyweights like Napalm Death and Godflesh, alongside revered avant/industrial pioneers Techno Animal and Ice, but after nearly two decades of diligent stereophonic thrill-seeking, Broadrick has found his true calling in Jesu. This EP is an electro-psychedelic symphony born of the pastoral majesty found around his country home near the English/Welsh border. An icy-sweet combination of tidal guitar resonance and sweeping electronic atmosphere, the four epic tracks within comprise a panoramic snapshot of Broadrick's stunning sonic prowess.

New Releases

Alias & Tarsier
Dr. C/Five Year Eve
PS, US Lead single from new album incl. an EXCLUSIVE remix by HEALAMONSTER. Surprisingly organic groove w/Tarsier's bright voice leading the dance through the heavy atmosphere.
Anticon-058
12
$8.00


Aloe Blacc
Shine Through
PS, US Newest album from "the indie R. Kelly" showcases and amazingly broad spectrum of influences from the acoustic folk stylings of Cat Stevens to the soul stirring sounds of Negro spirituals. Incl. production by MADLIB & OH No.
StonesThrow-2138
CD
$17.00


Battisti, Lucio
Amore E Non Amore
PS, US Considered one of the greatest Italian songwriters for his ability to reach the primal core of emotional matters, Battisti is held in the same regard in Italy as John Lennon is in the English-speaking world. Aided instrumentally by members of PFM (progressive Italian rockers named oddly enough for a bakery) and guitarist Alberto Radius of Formula Tre, Lucio Battisti made this much adored 1971 cult masterpiece. Imagine Brazilian psych-pop combo Os Mutantes fronted by Southern soul legend James Carr and you'll get a glimpse of this inexplicably accomplished and adventurous album.
Water-171
CD
$15.50


Black Hollies
Crimson Reflections
PS, US "The best band currently making the rounds in NYC."-L Magazine. Three fourths of RYE COALITION join with one badass drummer to create an album of sounds that are new, exciting, primal & complex made by revamping the rhythm & blues roots of rock. Shards of Yardbirds, Cream, Pretty Things, Who & Barrett-era Floyd fly around w/a vicious kinetic energy, melded by the spirit of Stax. The title to their song Crimson Reflections Through Looking Glass Mind just about says it all. "Stuffs rock, soul & blues in a pressure cooker & roasts them on high."-CMJ. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
ErnestJenning-023
CD
$13.50


Black Hollies
Crimson Reflections
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Telstar-050
LP
$10.25


Black Moth Super Rainbow
Lost Picking Flowers in the Woods
PS, US CD version of last years vinyl release contains 2 new tracks exclusive to this mini full length.
Graveface-018
CD
$7.50


Boxcutter
Oneric
PS, US Aka Barry Lynn who burst onto the garage & dubstep scene in 2005 w/ his single on Hot Flush. Cosmic dubstep w/guitar, flutes & twisting breaks. CD incl. both singles & 10 new tracks.
PlanetMu-147
CD
$16.25


Boxcutter
Oneric
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
PlanetMu-147
DLP
$20.50


Breut, Francoiz
Francoiz Breut
PS, FRANCE On her 1997 debut album, north France Cherbourg native FRANÇOIZ BREUT presented to the world her light captivating voice, deep and weightless at the same time. Firmly rooted in the stylish tradition of French chanson, Françoiz moves into an Anglo-Saxon pop/rock direction with the help of Dominique A, her partner at that time and composer of the album. Elegant and jazzy atmospheres with introspective lyrics (in french and english) wich earned her comparisons to such musical luminaries as Françoise Hardy, Nick Cave and Tindersticks. This album was originally released in France by Lithium Records, and later licensed to English label Bella Union. Some highlight songs from this gorgeous album are "Tarifa", "Ma Colère", "Everyone Kisses A Stranger", "Motus" and "My Wedding Man". 16 page booklet including lyrics and seven illustrations designed by Françoiz herself, who shares her time between music and making illustration books for children.
Lithium-8445162
CD
$17.75


Canadian Invasion
Songs for the Atco Ghost
PS, US Sensitive & sensible, takes you to a cozy place. A gently rocking landscape of sublimely catchy choruses & comfortable lyrics about missing you & knocking on your front door & losing hope. Ambient electronic chatter, twinkling keys, whispery vocals & strumming guitars. "Possess British-pop sensibilities mixed with guitar-driven American rock that can leave you happily humming the tunes." -Washington Post
OldJanxSpirit-01
CD
$9.25


Captain Beefheart
Under Review
PS, US 2 hour documentary tracing the roots & history of this iconic musical legend. Features rare live & studio performances interspersed with contributions from virtually all members of The Magic Band along with a panel of esteemed experts. Also features rarely seen promo films, interview footage with Beefheart, TV clips, location shots and a host of other features. Covering his entire musical career and loaded with extra features, this is not simply the only Beefheart DVD on the commercial market, it is also the best ever film about the man and his music yet to emerge.
SexyIntellect-500
DVD
$19.75


Captain Beefheart & Magic Band
Captain's Last Live Concert Plus
PS, US 2 disc set with ten-page full color foldout cd booklet & full color Beefheart Van Vliet disc on body prints. Recorded in January 1981. Features an interview with Ry Cooder about working with the Captain in the early days & a conversation with the Captain himself. Essential for Beefheart fans, prog-rock enthusiasts & anyone interested in idiosyncratic rock-n-roll.
Ozit-9004
DCD
$25.25


Church, The
Sometime Anywhere
PS, UK If AC/DC lays claim to being Australia's top international hard-rock band, then The Church represent the country's more eclectic side. The group was formed in Sydney in 1980 by British-born singer/songwriter Steve Kilbey and guitarist Peter Koppes. Their influences were predominantly British glam-rock (T Rex, Cockney Rebel) and American folk rock (Dylan, Big Star, The Byrds). Signing to Parlophone, the Church's second single, 'The Unguarded Moment', reached the Australian Top 10 in 1981 and ensured debut album, 'Of Skins And Hearts', went gold. Having honed their stagecraft on a Stateside tour with Echo and the Bunnymen, the US breakthrough came in 1988 with chart album 'Starfish' on a new label, Arista, and comparisons were made with the similarly up and coming REM. Their ninth album, 1994's 'Sometime Anywhere', is important as it was first to be recorded without founding guitarist Koppes. Whilst his spacious, reverb-laden style was definitely missed, a different guitar vibe prevailed. "I was able to play as beautifully as him," Willson-Piper would later admit, "but he wasn't able to play as ugly as I can." Among the highlights here are the opener, 'Day Of The Dead', with its quintessentially Church-y sound, and its successor, 'Lost My Touch'. The Church remain a force on the Australian live circuit and have released no fewer than five new albums since 2002. On the back of this we are expecting a high level of interest in this release.
Lemon-085
CD
$14.75


Coup
Pick a Bigger Weapon
PS, US New album from critical darlings. Its sound will remind listeners of Dirty Mind-era Prince and late '80s Too Short, according to the label. The album is said to have an edgier sound, faster beats and a big name cast of guest musicians, including Tom Morello of Audioslave, Dwayne Wiggins and members of Paliament-Funkadelic and the Gap Band. Guest vocalists include Talib Kweli, Roots' Black Thought and Jello Biafra.
Epitaph-86720
CD
$16.25


Current 93
Sleep Has His House
PS, US Sleep Has His House, originally released in 2000, has become one of CURRENT 93's most enduring releases. The album features DAVID TIBET on harmonium and vocals, as well as MICHAEL CASHMORE on guitar. The mood is sombre and contemplative, culminating in the epic title track which was inspired by the death of Tibet's father.
DurtroJnana-1925
CD
$14.75


Current 93
Black Ships Ate the Sky
PS, US BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM w/ C93's strongest lineup yet feat. DAVID TIBET, STEVEN STAPLETON (NWW), BEN CHASNEY (SIX ORGANS), Michael Cashmore, John Contreras, William Basinski, Amy PHillips & William Breeze. Incl. guest appearances by MARC ALMOND, ANTONY, WILL OLDHAM, SHIRLEY COLLINS, BABY DEE, PANTALEIMON, COSEY FANNI TUTTI & CLODAGH SOUNDS. A 76 minute opus exploring Tibet's vision of the apocalypse as wrought by the ominous Black Ships.
DurtroJnana-2112
CD
$14.75


Darling Downs
How Can I Forget This Heart Of Mine
PS, US The Darling Downs stand out as the most unlikely of collaborations between longtime members of the fertile Australian rock scene. While it is not at alll insane to imagine the driving force behind Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon, & The Surrealists, Kim Salmon, working with Died Pretty's energetic frontman and songwriter Ron Peno, the improbable happens when you consider the result that might flow from such a teaming. What are the odds that these two towering figures of Australian music, famous for swaggering, noisy, swampy punk rock (Salmon) and soaring pop rock(Peno) would concoct such a perfect loveletter to American country folk? 1000-1? Armed only with Kim Salmon's custom Cole Clark acoustic guitar and Peno's singular voice and vision, The Darling Downs crafted an almost impossible album: a record of nuanced beauty, a subtle masterpiece that unfolds like a dahlia with each successive spin, giving the listener something new and unexpected at every helping. All from two guys and one pristine guitar. At times Peno channels the spirit of Appalachian folk's high lonesome sound, complete with yips, yelps and howls, while elsewhere his (improvised?!) vocals are hypnotically understated, almost delicate--threatening to disappear into thin air before crashing down like thunder. Supporting Peno's acrobatic vocal brilliance is Salmon's equally understated, elegant guitar playing, perhaps the most restrained of his career, made all the more stunning when you know the fireworks and growl of which he is capable and for which he is famous. Salmon showcases not only his versatility but playing of such surprisingly refined grace that it defines the album as one of the best listens of 2006. "With Salmon often infusing the guitar lines with deft lilts and melodies, grasping each song is sometimes as difficult as interpreting a smoke signal in a storm, the ever-shifting qualities of the music making it difficult to categorize. The experience mesmerizes."-The Age
CarrotTop-039
CD
$12.75


Datach' i
Shock Diamonds
PS, US Ups the ante on high tech computer based music & once again reaffirms why Datach'i is at the top of the game & ahead of the pack. 14 tracks of precision mechanics, steril white electronic landscapes & vibrant artificially intelligent sound architecture, think mechanical spiders hunting their prey on cold tile floors. Wonderous, terrifying & beautiful, an information-generated construct of a staggeringly progressive future that flickers between reality & virtuality with the ease of
a ghost.
Sublight-703
CD
$15.50


Delaney & Bonnie
Home
PS, US Known to legions of classic rock fans for their late '60s collaborations with Clapton & George Harrison, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, known for their unique blend of rock n' roll, blues, country, gospel & roadhouse R&B, released their superlative second album on the Stax label in 1969. Criminally ignored upon its initial release, D+B's "Home" is restored at last!
Stax-8626
CD
$11.50


Eleventh Dream Day
Zeros & Ones
PS, US This album shows a band whose pure intent remains unaffected by the passage of time or change of landscape. It's about the difference between gravity & floating away, reality or dream, looking for something to grasp or simply letting go. The music is elevated, the raw energy honed & undiluted by time. " To be a band at this point, the process has changed, but the chemistry is the same." - RICK RIZZO
ThrillJockey-172
CD
$14.50


Elf Power
Back To the Web
PS, US 180 gram vinyl.
Rykodisc-10848
LP
$19.75


Elf Power
Back To the Web
PS, US This new studio album is a haunting, twisting journey weaving its way through heavy psychedelic haze, to soulful, melodic folk, to stomping T Rex styled rock. Full of the band's singature, lovely pop melodies, but a distinct progression is evident in the songwriting & the lush, full production.
Rykodisc-10848
CD
$17.00


Faithfull, Marianne
An Introduction to Marianne Faithfull [Fuel 2000]
PS, US
Fuel2000
CD
$13.00


Fanny
Shoebomb Hurricane
Ps, US Upbeat punk electronic constantly changing tracks from featuring guests VENETIAN SNARES & NOT HALF! Complex yet simple, slaying productions, laying the noise collective pretenders to shame. Sinister, inspired, more fear than a Dick Cheney denial press release.
Sublight-302
CD
$15.50


Fever
In the City of Sleep
PS, US Second album mixes up their love for junkyard clank, Sun studio reverb, Stax abandon, Fellini-esque circus music& 50's noir to create an intense & mysterious landscape somewhere beween the nightmare rock of the BadSeeds & the Beach Boys' lullabies of lost innocence.
Kemado-034
CD
$12.75


Gerry Mulligan Quartet, The
Live At The Haig, Hollywood
PS, UK Have a listen! LIVE IN CALIFORNIA - Los Angeles, San Francisco, Stockton and San Diego. One of the genuinely innovative modern jazz groups to emerge in Los Angeles during the early '50s, the original Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker (plus guest soloist Lee Konitz) is captured live, on stage, at their regular Hollywood haunt, The Haig as well as San Francisco's famed Black Hawk Club. A later version of the Quartet - with trumpeter Jon Eardley having successfully replaced Baker hit the road to spread their message amongst California's College crowds. The album has been compiled by the legendary Roy Carr so we expect great press for this album and the other Giant Step releases.
GiantStepsRecordings-015
DCD
$14.75


Golightly, Holly
Laugh It Up
PS, UK Re-issue of the long deleted second album that was originally released in 1996 on the now defunct Vinyl Japan label. Comprised of a combination of originals and covers, including songs by The Kinks, Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, Lee Hazelwood. A must for all Holly fans!
DamagedGoods-260
CD
$15.50


Gun Club
Live at the Hacienda
PS, US One of the most popular draws on the live circuit during their mid-80s heyday & this captures two visits the band made to Manchester's legendary venue. Jeffrey Lee Pierce remains a legend to his many fans and a biopic of the frontman is currently in production. Tribal, psychobilly blues is the best way to describe Gun Club's energetic death rock. Pierce had a quite a reputation, & well-publicized bouts of drunkenness dogged him throughout his career & eventually killed him.
CherryRed-122
DVD
$24.25


Harris, Emmylou & Mark Knopfler
All the Road Running
PS, US
Warner
CD
$17.25


Hecate
Brew Hideous
PS, CANADA Based around the destruction and murder of countless hordes of men and women for their Heresy and Blasphemy of the decrepit Church Hecate's "Brew Hideous" album is by far her most ambitious. Like a sonic nightmare mutating and transforming live instruments, mainly guitars, synths and Rachael Kozak's own growling vocals "Brew Hideous" mixes elements of Black metal, brutalizing breakcore and esoteric sound design with top notch production values. 10 violent and mysterious tracks from the most prolific female artist in hard electronic music. featuring guest appearances by Vile Enginez, Mandragore, Leech and others.
Sublight-1401
CD
$13.50


Jim Bob
School
PS, US "The godfather of indie lyrics" --Neil Tennant. Jim Bob, formerly of Carter USM, is back with this brilliant brand new studio album. The whole concept of the album is about a school, the album was premiered at a sold out Islington Academy gig in december, where he played the whole album with a full 12 piece orchestra, none of the crowd had heard the material before but it went down a storm!
CherryRed-302
CD
$14.75


Johnson, Michael
Gone Out of Your Mind
PS, US
UP
CD
$13.75


Johnston, Daniel
Rejected Unknown
PS, UK Reissue. Daniel has spent the last 20 or so years exposing his heartrending tales of unrequited love, cosmic mishaps, and existential torment to an ever-growing international cult audience. Initiates, including a healthy number of discerning musicians and critics, have hailed him as an American original in the style of bluesman Robert Johnson and country legend Hank Williams. A growing number of artists - among them Yo La Tengo, Sonic Boom, former Velvet Underground drummer Mo Tucker and even Johnny Depp! - have covered Daniel's songs. He's also collaborated with the likes of Jad Fair, the Butthole Surfers, Kramer, and members of Sonic Youth. Daniel gained wide public exposure at the 1992 MTV Music Awards, when Kurt Cobain (who constantly touted Daniel in interviews) wore Johnston's 'Hi How Are You?' T-shirt. In 2002, Mojo magazine included Rejected Unknown in their '1000 Ultimate CD Guide', in which Joe Cushley wrote, "You won't hear a more poignant, raw and (curiously) humorous album all year. The epic Funeral Girl begins quietly - Johnston in fractured Neil Young mode - before erupting into skronky bubblegum pop. Finally, Johnston seems on the verge of weeping, as the music drifts into dissonance. It's heart-rending. On Devinare, Johnston recalls another confederate, Lou Reed, while Favourite Darling Girl rings with skewed on-beat echoes of his his beloved Beatles. Producer Brian Beattie deserves great credit for keeping this naif-rock show on the road. Johnston may not write or sing "properly", but he has heart and instinctive talent in abundance"
PickledEgg-022
CD
$17.00


July Skies
The English Cold
PS, US Re-press. July Skies is the musical project of Antony Harding, a member of the Birmingham based electronic band Avrocar who were cited as an influence by Radiohead during the recording their experimental album Kid A. Avrocar and July Skies have previously received significant airplay from John Peel and Mary-Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 3. July Skies debut album Dreaming of Spires was a pastoral departure from the dark skittery urban beats of Avrocar and trod the path of reflective dreamlike compositions that were heavily anchored in childhood memories and a lost 1950/60s English countryside.. musically, think the Durutti Column, the melancholy of Piano Magic, Maurice Deebank (Felt) or Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins). July Skies have received excellent reviews from a recent successful gig at the Pop Revo festival in Denmark where they supported The Clientele and Radio Dept. Nick Halsted reviewed English Cold for Uncut.
MakeMineMusic-009
CD
$17.00


Keys, Calvin
Vertical Clearance
PS, US Seventh solo release. Well known for his performances & recordings with greats such as Ray Charles, John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Marshall, Sonny Stitt, Pharaoh Saunders, Joe Henderson & Leon Williams. With outstanding contributions from jazz legends SONNY FORTUNE, PHIL RANELIN, DOUG CARN & BABATUNDE, this new album draws upon their collective roots to create an authentic & inspiring recording. Highlighted by dark melodies & driving rhythms, Keys" playing has somehow become more precise & edgier over time.
WideHive-269
CD
$12.75


Kipe, Malcom
Lit
Ps, US Colored vinyl just in! Vinyl limited to 1000. Second Merck album from Austin, Texas based producer Malcom Kipe, better known to some as Nautilis (of Planet-Mu). Lit is a get down and dirty piece focused on the aesthetics of raw sample based hip hop and the nasty sampling habits of Malcom Kipe. This is a collection of 50 minutes of beats and instrumentals composed of nineteen tracks made and polished in 2004 & 2005. This album is strongly influenced early 90's hip hop production and excessive crate digging. Including lots of material that fans of his previous full length CD, Breakspiracy Theories, should fall in love with.
Merck-037
CD
$14.25


Leadbelly
Borrow Love And Go
PS, US This collection contains some of Huddie Ledbetter's best known songs including "Good Night Irene," "Bourgeois Blues," and "The Boll Weevil Song." Also contains "Gallis Pole," which was remade as "Gallows Pole" by Led Zeppelin on Led Zeppelin III.
MaskedWeasel-311
CD
$13.50


Lio
Suite Sixtine
Ps, US Originally released in 1982, which features English versions of her past songs + various new singles. She collaborated on this project with Californian producers Ron & Russell Mael of SPARKS-fame. This album is also marked by the apparition of amazing French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg (with the cover of "Baby Lou"). Instant child-star in the early 80s, her popularity has never really decreased.
ZeRecords-017
CD
$18.50


Lio
Premier Album
PS, US 1980 Repress. Born out of a Belgian comics writer's imagination, the character of Lio soon became known all over Europe as the alias of Belgo- Portuguese pop singer & actress/icon Wanda Maria de Vasconcelos, a smart & provocative18 yr-old singer. Teamed-up w/ Belgian songwriters Jacques Duvall, Jay Alanski & Marc Moulin (from the electro-pioneer band TELEX). This album is a pinnacle of the '80s golden era, yet a clear & distinct touch of contemporary atmosphere can be felt all over the record, along with an avant-gardism which is reminiscent of electro legends New Order, Yaz, Human League, etc.
ZeRecords-016
CD
$18.50


Lio
Amour Toujours
PS, US Released in '83, now remastered & reissued with 5 bonus tracks. With its fine & delicate melodies, its daring but nevertheless gentle vocals, this falls within the scope of purely traditional French songs with an ambiance perfectly displayed by famous photographer Robert Doisneau who shot the album cover & the pictures included in this booklet.
ZeRecords-018
CD
$18.50


Little Annie
Songs from the Coalmine Canary
PS, US Little Annie-aka ANNIE ANXIETY, aka Annie Bandez-is an adventuress, chanteuse, lyricist, multi-media artist and post-modern cabaret queen with a long, illustrious and eclectic recording career. Annie's fabulous new full-length features 10 songs written & performed with guests ANTONY (of THE JOHNSONS), Joe Budenholzer (BACKWORLD/SMALL CREATURES), Paul Wallfisch, Todd Cohen, Paul Geluso, and Maxim Moston.
DurtoJnana-1967
CD
$16.25


Loscil
Plume
PS, US Many tracks are similar in approach to " First Narrows", they live with a harmonic root from which sounds are processd into a loose structure over which the live players improvised. He stuck with things that are quintessentially LOSCIL: flow, subtle movement, gradual transition, growth.
Kranky-096
CD
$13.75


Melodium
There is Something in the Universe
PS, US before the poppy "la tete qui flotte" (Autres Directions 2005), Melodium composed a quasi instrumental album based on acoustic guitar and analog sounds...the aim is always to express feelings through the use of simple and melancholic melodies...there is something in the universe .....a refined, sweet and nostalgic sound, distracted in its interferences, highlights the gentleness of Laurent Girard's touch, for his third album on Disasters By Choice.
DisastersByChoice-013
CD
$14.75


Morricone, Ennio
Psichedico Jazzistico
PS, UK MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! With his peerless versatility and productivity, Ennio Morricone is one of the most famous and influential composers of the 20th century. Drawing from an extraordinary range of musical styles, his 500 film scores have accompanied every conceivable movie genre. Atonal and melodic, playful and intense, futuristic and camp, 'Psichedelico Jazzistico' concentrates on the acid invention of the composer's most magical and ambitious period in the late sixties and early seventies. This album represents a beautiful and surrealistic snapshot of an artist at the height of his powers. Morricone's innovative soundscapes for Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns established his reputation and he would soon become one of the composers most coveted and sought after by film makers from all over the world. He created an extremely original style based on wordless vocals, unorthodox instrumental combinations, aggressive rhythms and quasi-experimental sounds. Mixing the most diverse musical languages, from jazz to classical music, and rock to electronic music. This breathtaking eclecticism is the feature of Morricone's elegant soundtracks for the aerobatic 'Forza G' and the artily erotic 'Metti Una Sera A Cena' (One Evening At Dinner) and his evocative scores for Dario Argento's stylized thrillers, 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' and 'Four Flies On Grey Velvet'.
El-035
CD
$14.75


My Cat Is An Alien
Cosmic Light Of The Third Millenium
PS, US Like some kind of droned out Sun Ra, My Cat Is An Alien landed and stayed only long enough to drop off the masters and the artwork at Important Records before vanishing into the cosmos, or Torino, once again. This new full-length album recorded April 2005 at MCIAA's Alien Zone, located in a remote region of the Western Alps, Piemonte, Italy. The work consists of three tracks entitled "Section I-II-III" for a total lenght of 49:20 minutes. Here the Opalio space-brothers push their improvised music of the Spheres in new cosmic territories, where the use of Roberto's wordless vocals impresses a still unheard lyricism inside the sublime complexity of their unique musical textures. "Section I" opens the album with a slow and emotional epic crescendo generated by floating waves of electric space-guitars alongside glittering sounds of mini-xylophone and toy piano; this impressive astral monochord-blues increase leads to a denouement of electronics & cymbals storm. Whispered wordless moaning vocals and sparse rythmic percussions resonating in the distance open "Section II", where the celestial explosion is followed by droning walls of guitar sounds and space-toys effects, lost in a vertical streamline of astral debris. An ambient minimal guitar tune introduces the final "Section III": reiterated and limpid single guitar chords disclose the enlightened beauty of the Cosmos. In "Cosmic Light of the Third Millennium" MCIAA's mystic alien chants celebrate the beginning and the coming of a new era of the CosmicLight. My Cat Is An Alien (MCIAA) is the improv duo formed by the brothers Maurizio and Roberto Opalio from Torino, Italy. They both primarily play electric and acoustic guitars, various toy-instruments and voice toy-microphones, percussions. Since forming in late 1997, they started up releasing several cdr and vinyl on their own Opax Records label, whose unique handmade art-packaging style represents the aesthetics of the duo, since the Opalios are involved in music as well as in painting, photography and audiovisual installations. MCIAA's debut recording immediately thrilled Sonic Youth and two months later the two brothers made their live debut as support to SY 1998 Italian tour. During the past six years MCIAA have been invited several times to perform live at Sonic Youth European tours, Kim Gordon and Jim O'Rourke's solo shows. In 2002 MCIAA took part to the Torino BIG (International Biannual Of Young Artists) curated by Christian Marclay. In 2005 MCIAA toured Europe as special line-up of Jackie-O Motherfucker with founder Tom Greenwood, and performed in Italy with Keiji Haino; MCIAA performed at the "Music Lovers' Field Companion" festival at the Sage Gateshead in Newcastle (UK), at the CCA (Center of Contemporary Arts) festival in Glasgow with Jandek and Keiji Haino, and to the "Cosmopolis" festival in Lisbon with Rafael Toral.
Important-077
CD
$13.50


My Cat Is An Alien
Introducing The Cosmic Blues
PS, US This is the fifth release in Important's ongoing Arts And Crafts series with each release containing handmade artwork by the artist on the recordings. This is limited to 300 copies numbered copies and each contain a polaroid taken and manipulated. Introducing The Cosmic Blues is My Cat Is An Alien's introduction to their full length release on Important Records. This 7" is limited to only 300 copies and each comes in deluxe screen printed packaging with an individual Polaroid photograph taken,altered and signed by the Opalio Brothers. But what does it sound like? Just as the Cosmic Blues should: like MCIAA invented their own instruments and discovered an unknown universe to play them in.
Important-093
45
$10.75


My Were They
Epigrams & Interludes
PS, US A thoroughly modern band that manages to squeeze both the noise of early Sonic Youth with the dark melody of the Psychedelic Furs into a singular sound. These four well dressed urchins have been pounding the preverbial pavement for the past two years with a stop at SWSW. Hear the influence of Brit-rock: Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, bends-era Radiohead, etc. combined to create something all their own.
MyWereThey-01
CD
$10.75


Newell, Martin
The Wayward Genius Of Martin Newell
PS, UK A 23 track "best of" from the wonderful Martin Newell. Martin's musical career has taken in bands the Cleaners Of Venus and Brotherhood Of Lizards and latterly a solo career. The Wayward Genius Of Martin Newell serves as a best of containing tracks from his time with the aforementioned bands and solo outings. Originally a member of the glam-rock plod, Martin Newell has moved in mysterious ways. He's the resident poet for the independent newspaper, has written his autobiography This Little Ziggy to critical acclaim and currently writes for the independent and record collector.
CherryRed-154
CD
$14.75


Nico
All Tomorrow's Parties
PS, US Brand new, previously unseen DVD featuring one of the great all-time rock music icons was filmed at two live performances in 1983. One of the most fascinating figures of rock's fringes, Nico hobnobbed, worked, and was romantically linked with an incredible assortment of the most legendary entertainers of the '60s. The original goth rocker, Nico's albums are demanding and bleak, but map a unique and starkly powerful vision that has become more influential with age. All Tomorrows Parties features extremely rare material from two shows Nico played in the UK in the early 1980s.
CherryRed-123
DVD
$29.00


Nobody And Mystic Chords Of Memory
Tree Colored See
PS, US A collaborative effort between NOBODY (ELVIN ESTELLA) and MYSTIC CHORDS OF MEMORY (CHRIS GUNST and JEN COHEN). Building off of successful guest appearances on each other's past releases, the trio began collaborating on the project in the spring of 2004. After a year-plus of road trips and mail-order production efforts, the result is a perfectly crafted blend of psychedelic hip-hop and sunshine folk-rock. Nobody proves himself a producer/arranger in the classical sense, using his sample-based tool set to create the foundations for the album.
Mush-241
LP
$10.25


Nobody And Mystic Chords Of Memory
Tree Colored See
PS, US A collaborative effort between NOBODY (ELVIN ESTELLA) and MYSTIC CHORDS OF MEMORY (CHRIS GUNST and JEN COHEN). Building off of successful guest appearances on each other's past releases, the trio began collaborating on the project in the spring of 2004. After a year-plus of road trips and mail-order production efforts, the result is a perfectly crafted blend of psychedelic hip-hop and sunshine folk-rock. Nobody proves himself a producer/arranger in the classical sense, using his sample-based tool set to create the foundations for the album.
Mush-241
CD
$13.25


Obsessed
Lunar Womb
PS, US Feat. WINO of PROBOT, BLACK SABBATH, THE HIDDEN HAND fame... The line-up here includes WINO, GREG ROGERS & SCOTT REEDER (KYUSS) before any of their acquired fame took hold. Many consider this album their pinnacle, a pure document of their raw, emotional power. It has been fully remastered to sound as weighty as its legacy demands. Feat. a slew of original photos, complete lyrics & liners by JOE CARDUCCI.
MeteorCity-038
CD
$14.75


Om
Conference of the Birds
PS, US New one from SLEEP rhythm section produced by Billy Anderson (MELVINS, NEUROSIS) made up of two songs building on their cyclical rhythms, riffs & vocal intonations. Blending metal, chant, drone, dub & pschedelia.
HolyMountain-5
CD
$14.75


Poles
As Above, So Below
PS, US This 4 piece out of Asheville, NC plays moody, synth-pop indie rock. The EP is a prelude to the full length due later this year. Be ready to experience layers & depth as you listen to the methodical pace of the album. Reinstating the art of rock w/out the cliche of pop describes the band to a t. Enjoy!
DoublePlusGood-010
CD
$7.50


Punk Planet
May/June 2006
PS, US This feat the 1st cover story comic in the magazine's history. Up-n-coming comic artist Christopher Cardinale sketches out a riveting portrait of post-Katrina New Orleans in his comic sketchbook "Coming Together". A beautiful, moving, & wholly unique addition. Also PROPAGANDHI, artist JULIE DOUCET, SHOPLIFTING, DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979, & more! Close to 300 of the underground's best music, zines, comics, books & DVDs.
PunkPlanet-73
ZINE
$4.75


Punky's Dilemma
Echelon EP
PS, SWEDEN Sweet and melancholy Swedish pop, fans of the Labrador label take note! Think Club 8, Isobelle Campbell, Elodie, Broadcast... This is the debut EP from Punky's Dilemma, featuring former Parasol interns Hanna and Mikael Calner (a Swedish couple who turned us on to Thirdimension back in the day). Along with PD bandmate Camilla Sjerén, members of Thirdimension were aboard for the recording of the Echelon EP.
JunkMusik
CD5
$6.25


Rakes
Capture/Release [Bonus Track]
PS, US
V2
CD
$14.00


Ranaldo, Lee
Vancouver Ambients
PS, UK The sixth installment in Important Records' Arts & Crafts series is this 7" from Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, recorded with Alan Licht on guitar, Christian Marclay on turntables and William Hooker on drums. Pressed on clear vinyl and packaged with a screen print designed and signed by Ranaldo, this release is limited to 500 copies.
Important-087
45
$9.00


Refused
Refused Are Fucking Dead
PS, US This 80 minute jaunt into the core of Refused was recorded mainly during their last year in existence as a band. They spent countless nights playing run-down hellholes across the world, especially in the west, and this a documentation of their thoughts, feelings, music and lives. This DVD truly is their testament.
Epitaph
DVD
$14.50


Rocketship
Garden of Delights
PS, US Digital reissue of 1997 vinyl EP. A departure for Rocketship when first released, these seven tracks are purely minimalistic ambient atmospheres akin to the interludes beween tracks on A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness. Pulsing synths and reversed looped samples make this mellow classic great to relax, wake up, or take drugs to. CDR in nice origami hand-folded card stock covers. RECOMMENDED
NonstopCoop-004
CD
$12.75


Secret Machines
Ten Silver Drops
PS, US
Reprise
CD
$15.00


Single Frame
Everything Wants To Be .Used For What It Was Made For
PS, US Austin trio returns with remixes & rarities spanning the last five years. Includes remixes buy NICK ZINNER (YEAH YEAH YEAHS), J-MPRINT, CREEPY KID & more! "One of the few bands who can make inconsistency a virtue, Single Frame record albums that are comparable to an hour of free-form college radio, bouncing between jangly pop & electronic noise throughout their brief, hook-filled songs" -Pitchfork. "If you combined Fugazi, Man Ray & an old Atari into a blender, the result would be Single Frame." -Thrasher
Volcom/AlreadyGone
CD
$10.00


Smith, Ches
Congs for Brums
PS, US Debut solo release from former MR. BUNGLE drummer & current member of SECRET CHIEFS 3 & 7 YEAR RABBIT CYCLE. A fully unified collection of dark, lyrical percussion pieces. Has worked w/Zorn, Waits, Ribot, Leo Smith, Cline & Oliveros.
FreePorcupine-015
CD
$16.25


Sparks
Hello Young Lovers
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
InTheRed-131
LP
$9.75


Spirit
Self-Titled
PS, US New, high quality vinyl reissue from original analog masters. 1968 debut was only available on mono for a brief moment, now reproduced here from the orignal mono masters. Zeros in on Randy California's thundering guitar & the jazz-infused drumming of Ed Cassidy. Incl. "Fresh Garbage" & Mechanical World."
Sundazed-5194
LP
$18.50


Starlight Mints
Drowaton
PS, US A group of beautiful pop mutants: 4 singular musical minds whose love for archetypal pop music & AM radio has provided, over the course of 2 previous acclaimed albums, a rock solid foundation for a whole bunch of inspired unusualness, all baked to perfection under the hot Oklahoman sun. Rather than coming off progishly, the band's blend of classic string arrangements, cheeky boyish vocals, catchy melody and ornate surrealism is a pleasure, you might call it bubblegum psych.
Barsuk-051
CD
$12.75


Tanakh
Ardent Fevers
PS, US Fourth release finds Jesse Poe and company continuing to delve deeper into the world of psychedelic pop music. This release treads more in the sound of 70's rock, resulting in an album closer to their live sound, with a beautiful array of lush compositions.
Alien8-063
CD
$14.50


Various
Ultimate Lessons Vol. 2
PS, US Digging deep in the "cut-n-paste crates" for this one: DOUBLE DEE& STEINSKI "Lesson 4 (Solid Steel Edit)", COLDCUT "Say Kids (What Time is It?)" - also known as the 3rd "Lesson 4" - "Lesson D: Live" by SHADOW, CUT CHEMIST & NU MARK , "Feelin James" by TD, "Lesson 7" by DJ BOMBJACK, "Beats n Pieces" by COLDCUT, "Jazz" by DOUBLE DEE & STEINSKI, "Genius at Work" by BIG APPLE PRODUCTIONS, "Sugar Hill Suite" by DOUBLE DEE & STEINSKI,"Coldcut vs. The Godfather" by COLDCUT, "Payback by COLDCUT, "Lesson E: Live" by CUT CHEMIST. Warholian cover art, nod to Basquiat perhaps...supreme package.
Starchild-1709
CD
$12.75


Various
Motor City Grooves
PS, US Sweet selection of Motown rarities & gems, from rare groove to '60s soul to experimental Afro & Latin, including sought after versions like The Messengers' 'California Soul' (arguably the best version ever) & Gladys Night's 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' (as used by Cut Chemist on his Return to the Original Artform remix).
MCG-01
LP
$16.25


Various
Wild Party Sounds
PS, US A welcome repromotion of this exciting compilation of On-U Sound artists demonstrating the uniqueness of the roster. Alongside Prince Far I and London Underground are US performance artist Judy Nylon and vocalist Allan Pellay, who has since gone to have a hit records "Human Nature" with Gary Clail. Jah Woosh "Woodpecker Sound" / Machine Gun Hogg & Co "Bed Bound Saga" / Prince Far I & Creation Rebel "Quante Jubila" / The Chicken Granny "Quit The Body" / Alan Pellay "Parasite Machine" / London Underground "Dreams Are Better" / Sons Of Arqa "Asian Rebel" / Alan Pellay "Demonic Forces" / The Mothman "Afghani Dub" / Jeb Loy & The Oil Wells "Things That Made U.S." / U.S. New Age Steppers "Yipee I Aah" / Judy Nylon "The Dice".
CherryRed-024
CD
$14.75


Various
Ultimate Lessons Vol. 1
PS, US Comprehensive collection of the 3 x "Lessons" records by DOUBLE DEE & STEINSKI, & the thread of "inspirations" that followed, by DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST.The longterm effect of this record is still being felt, as is evidenced by the 2 x "Lesson 4"s released almost simutaneoulsy by DJ SHADOW as a promo b-side & CUT CHEMIST as a JURASSIC 5 b-side. Incl. the original 3 x part "Lesson" series, the Shadow & Cut Chemist versions, Cut Chemist version live on the radio, "Lesson 6: The Lecture" by Cut Chemist (un-edited version), "Lesson A: Live" by Cut Chemist &SHORTKUT, "Lesson B: Live" by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist & Steinski (meeting of the greats), & "Lesson C: Live" by DJ Shadow (20:17 long!).
Starchild-1707
CD
$12.75


Various
Cue's Hip Hop Shop Vol. 1
PS, US Compiles tracks by some of the most accomplished underground hip-hop artists on the West Coast. The collection is sponsored by Cue's, a popular record store in Daly City, CA. Feat. RASCO, KUT MASTA KURT, LIVE HUMAN, & WESTSIDE CHEMICAL, ROB SWIFT, ROC RAIDA, & MR. DIBBS. There's plenty of diversity here, with a particular emphasis on turntablism.
Dogday-4900
DLP
$18.00


Various
Invaders
PS, US Modern day metal touchstone comp of 18 UNRELEASED & RARE tracks by SWORD, DUNGEN, WITCH, FUCKING CHAMPS, PELICAN, HIGH ON FIRE, WITCHCRAFT, COMETS ON FIRE, DIAMOND NIGHTS, WOLFMOTHER, PARCHMAN FARM, SAVIOURS, more.
Kemado-035
CD
$12.75


Various
Coachella
PS, US Feature length film based on America's premiere showcase for alternative, cutting-edge music, comes to DVD filled with one classic performance after another gathered from the 6 year history of the festival. The iconic headliners and forward-looking newcomers include Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Bjork, Bright Eyes, Mars Volta, Morrissey, Pixies, Red Hot Chili Peppers, White Stripes and many more. Already taking its place beside concert epics such as Woodstock as the musical portrait of a generation.
Anti-80901
DVD
$29.25


Various
Creative Outlaws | US Underground 1962-1970
PS, US Gives a fascinating inside view of the 60's subcultures, tells the complete history before Woodstock, all aspects & topics (anti- war, drugs, love, peace, revolution, freedom of expression, freak out, humour etc..) The Outlaws were a crucial element in shaping the future of pop, influences of which can still be seen in today's Punk, Grunge & Anti-Folk. Includes tracks from Captain Beefheart, Moondog, MC5, Fugs, Blue Cheer, Shel Silverstein, Pearls Before Swine, Nina Simone, Stooges & more!
Trikont-3382
CD
$20.00


Velvet Underground
Under Review
PS, US 75 minute film reviewing music & career of one of rock music's most influential collectives; a band which esteemed music journalist Lester Bangs claims started modern music. It features rare musical performances never available before as well as obscure footage, rare interviews and private photographs of and with LOU REED, ANDY WARHOL, STERLING MORRISON & JOHN CALE. Also features rarely seen promo films; material from Andy Warhol's private film collection; interviews with colleagues, producers, musicians and friends; TV clips; location shots and a host of other features.
SexyIntellect
DVD
$19.75


Verlaine, Tom
Songs & Other Things
PS, US This finds his songwriting at its most colorful. According to Tom, "Lovebird asylum seeker" got its inspiration from a "picture of some friendly insects walking across a dusty desk & spelling out letters." The opening track is an instrumental, "like an introduction; what you hear at the beginning of a movie." For him, the songwriting process is natural, with ebbs & flows that he makes sure not to force. With 25 years in between this & his last vocal record, he has a lot of storytelling to catch up on, which makes every track here a true gem.
ThrillJockey-173
CD
$15.50


Verlaine, Tom
Around
PS, US Former NEON BOY BILLY FICCA's drumming shares the spotlight with Verlaine's guitar, whose varied tones move effortlessly from melody to rhythm & are at once panoramic, pastoral & atmospheric. A largely improvised record. "The recording style is: get the mics set & start recording," Verlaine says, "edit the mistakes & erase the stuff you don't like." This freewheeling style allows their raw talents to shine through, while showcasing the cohesion of a trio that's been playing together for years.
ThrillJockey-174
CD
$14.50


Virgin Prunes
Sons Find Devils
PS, UK Signed to Rough Trade after the success of their self financed first single "Twenty Tens" Virgin Prunes became Ireland's answer to Glam Rock with a twist! This live album includes New Form Of Beauty and Pagan Love Song both of which were Indie chart hits for the band in 1982. This is the first UK release of Sons Find Devils - A live retrospective 1981-1983.
CherryRed-218
CD
$14.75


Virus Syndicate
Ready to Learn
PS, US Manchester's Virus Syndicate preview the re-release of their massively acclaimed debut album The Work Related Illness with a double A-side release. "Ready To Learn" is a pop masterpiece of stop-start Philly Soul samples which the Virus MCs ride to comic effect; the flipside, "Major List MCs," one of the album's biggest tracks, features a new remix with guests Trim (Roll Deep), MC Fallacy, and Neckle Camp's Jammer and Ears. Planet Mu has also pressed up a special remix edition featuring re-worked instrumental mixes from Jammer.
PlanetMu-132
12
$9.75


Virus Syndicate
Ready to Learn REMIXES
PS, US Manchester's Virus Syndicate preview the re-release of their massively acclaimed debut album The Work Related Illness with a double A-side release. "Ready To Learn" is a pop masterpiece of stop-start Philly Soul samples which the Virus MCs ride to comic effect; the flipside, "Major List MCs," one of the album's biggest tracks, features a new remix with guests Trim (Roll Deep), MC Fallacy, and Neckle Camp's Jammer and Ears. Planet Mu has also pressed up a special remix edition featuring re-worked instrumental mixes from Jammer.
PlanetMu-132
12
$9.75


Warlocks
Red Camera/Isolation
PS, US Purple wax feat. 2 previously unreleased tracks.
Bomp!-4097
45
$7.00


Zombi
Surface To Air
PS, US This extraordinary two-piece has reappeared with the long-awaited follow-up to its' acclaimed debut Cosmos. It teems with the stirring, trance-inducing deluges of rhythm & sound the duo is renowned for. Swelling waves of melodic synth ride atop a broad bass & drum foundation. Sequences of repetition roll, build, & unfold with the measured patience of master artisans. Less an album than a moving, breathing mass of symphonic sound; it creates boundless moving pictures that are nothing short of breathtaking.
Relapse-6545
CD
$14.50


______________________________

Forthcoming Releases

10lec6
Join Us (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US (Pronounced "dis-lec-six"). French disco punk featuring the original drummer of Daft Punk. This is a repressing of their debut 7-inch that was originally released by the band. The awesome lead vocals call to mind Eve Libertine of Crass. Emi (vocalist) emits such passion and conviction that it's hard to turn away. The music recalls fellow Crass label mates Dirt mixed with the rhythmic collisions of Essential Logic. Picture the more dance-y Crass songs and you may have a starting point. 10lec6 is very rhythm-based, but also very aggressive.
TMU
CD
$9.50


10lec6
Join Us (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
TMU
LP
$9.50


16 Horsepower
Live (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US Disc 1 is a multi-camera shoot for Belgian television in 2002. Many "Secret South" & "Folklore" songs on here, performed by the 5 piece line-up incl. JOHN RUMLEY. Disc 2 feat. an early 3 piece live in Germany in'96, plus rehearsal footage & what would turn out to be their last concert in Antwerp, Belgium on 7/17/04.
AlternativeTentacles-355
DVD
$20.00


Adamson, Barry
Stranger on the Sofa (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE JUNE 13TH)
PS, US New album of noir-ish film jazz from legendary composer & bassist for MAGAZINE and NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS on his own label. A DIY masterpiece picking up where "King of Nothing Hill" left off. Darkly cinematic, with its tale of future past, memories lost & dying love. Doesn't shy away from sentimentality but leaves enough slack for blistering prog work outs.
CentralControlInt'l-001
CD
$16.25


Alias & Tarsier
Brookland/Oaklyn (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Producer for Ben Gibbard, Sage Francis, Will Oldham & DJ Krush teams up with dulcet toned NYC vocalist Tarsier Rapadas of HEALAMONSTER & TARSIER. The chanteuse walks a delicate line somewhere between Bjork & Beth Gibbons while Alias coaxes off-kilter drums, choppy static & jeweled synth lines into an honest, musical manifesto. Incl. guests TELEPHONE JIM JESUS, DOSE ONE, DAX PIERSON & KIRSTIN MCCORD.
Anticon-059
DLP
$17.25


Alias & Tarsier
Brookland/Oaklyn (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Producer for Ben Gibbard, Sage Francis, Will Oldham & DJ Krush teams up with dulcet toned NYC vocalist Tarsier Rapadas of HEALAMONSTER & TARSIER. The chanteuse walks a delicate line somewhere between Bjork & Beth Gibbons while Alias coaxes off-kilter drums, choppy static & jeweled synth lines into an honest, musical manifesto. Incl. guests TELEPHONE JIM JESUS, DOSE ONE, DAX PIERSON & KIRSTIN MCCORD.
Anticon-059
CD
$16.25


Anathallo
Floating World (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE JUNE 16TH)
PS, US Michigan's ecstatic 7 piece marching band collective finally release their first album after 6 years & 18 tours, incl. jaunts w/BSS, +/-, Dashboard Confessional. Moves from meditative to earnest vulnerability.
Nettwerk-6700-30538-2
CD
$12.75


Angelic Upstart
Independent Punk Singles (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 5TH)
PS, US This collection of A-sides from all 17 Angelic Upstarts singles is your chance to get up close and personal with these Oi! pioneers. Formed in the UK in 1977, they blended music with outspoken lyrics about the plight of the working class & the powers that be (in the vein of Sham 69) and made history with their anti- racist / anti-fascist stance at a time when many skinhead bands were fast becoming right-wing extremists.
GetBack-153
DLP
$18.25


Anoice
Remmings (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, UK Let's get this straight immediately. Anoice is not another instumental group with strong rock tendencies and an armchair association with classical music. Unlike numerous contemporaries which they will undoubtedly be compared to, their goal is not to follow the trends and make the soft/loud/soft/loud juxtapositions in every song, but to carefully craft each song with a strong attention to melody, solid accompaniment, and courteous counterpoint. One of the remarkable qualities of Anoice is that they truly work as a group, with members who aren't afraid to remain quiet while others play. Through meticulous composition Anoice has achieved an unrivaled quality. While the band isn't intentionally attempting to be cinematic, the recordings achieve something breathtaking and emotive: imagine the Rachel's scoring a film by Ang Lee. Anoice's music is anthemic and rich while being introspective and personal. Each track is preceeded by brief and dense ambient tracks to clense the audio palate much like ginger in your sushi boat. Anoice are a six-piece group based in Tokyo. The band was formed in January, 2004 by members Ricco (guitar/keyboards) and Taku (guitars and mandolin), who were soon joined by Yuki (piano), Utaka (viola), Matsu (bass), and Yossy (drums).While each member cites different musical influences, it's fairly evenly split between rock (think My Bloody Valentine meets King Crimson), classical and modern composers (Perhaps Debussy and Shostakovitch writing together after drinking heavily from Phillip Glass), jazz and electronic ( Autechre meets Mum maybe?). Combining all of these influences with their obvious Japanese heritage Anoice has created an album with an emotional arc, climaxing magnificently as it ends and leaves the listener determined to press play once again. Pronounced "a noyce," the name comes from the Celtic word for "now" (Anois). Remmings is their debut release and contains four named songs and five unnamed songs. Cover art by Non Format. Mastering by Jeff Lipton (Flaming Lips, Magnetic Fields) "Anoice have produced something entirely different and original, a mature record of great beauty and attention to detail that rises above any clichés and should by all accounts establish them as one of the leading artists today." Rock-A-Rolla (UK)
Important-076
CD
$13.50


Anti-Flag
For Blood & Empire (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 2ND)
PS, US Picture vinyl version of latest release. Bonus track "Marc Defiant" available only on this vinyl.
AFRecords-049
LP
$11.00


As Fast As
Open Letter to Damned (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Debut album from band of whom OAR saith, "These guys play rock n' roll with heart and soul." " Expect the sound of a man's heart ripping in two, crossed wiht bouncing melodies & rhythm, and all beat senseless by the relentless fury of an unstoppable band." RIYL: Strokes, Weezer, QOTSA.
Octone-82376-50012-2
CD
$9.25


Astronautalis
Mighty Ocean & Nine Dark Theaters (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Blending styles of indie rock, electro & talkin' blues into hip-hop, this rapper has developed a sounds like no other. He traded in his verbal weapons of mass descruction for songs about the railroad, lost love & surreal dreams. An amalgam of synthesizers, old funk drum samples, & slide guitar. RIYL: Beck, Modest Mouse, Buck 65.
FightingRecords-005
CD
$10.00


Auer, Jon
Songs from the Year of Our Demise (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 2ND)
PS, US Best known as songwriter/guitarist/vocalist for the POSIES & member of BIG STAR. First solo full-length of original material. The record is at turns more gritty & more lush, more atmospheric & more immediate, more universal & more personal than anything he's done in the past. It reflects the highs & lows of both a soaring exuberance & a crushing fatalism. Keyboards, cellos, organs, chimes & gizmos come 7 go while Jon's signature guitar work & angelic voice consistently echo the emotional turmoil of the past half decade.
Pattern25-2511
CD
$14.75


Baker, Keef
Pure Language (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 22ND)
PS, GERMANY Following two CDs on n5md, UK's multitalented Keef Baker offers on Ad Noiseam a solid 6-track MCD in which his music takes a resolute acoustic and organic turn. Warm voices flow through "Pure Language" on top of a very distinctive bass and a new found drum'n'bass twist. Keef Baker enriches this vocabulary with a playful use of tempo changes and contained noise, writing down a music both human and massive, full of emotion and yet assertive. "Pure Language" is neither a whisper nor a shout, but a thoughtful and laid statement, to be listen to with care and enjoyed with ears wide opened.
AdNoiseam-059
CD
$12.00


Battiato, Franco
Pollution (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Franco Battiato's wonderfully lively 1973 concept album Pollution is an audaciously psychedelic album drawn from the space rock dimension with good portions of electronics and keyboard layers. Drawing heavily on the VCS3 synthesizer, Battiato and company (besides himself, three backing band members play synth as well) give Pollution an extreme electronic edge. With comparisons to Ash Ra Tempel, Faust, and Pink Floyd, Pollution was declared "genius" by Frank Zappa. Extremely influential on the '90s Chicago post-rock mafia. Original artwork. New detailed liner notes.
Water-174
CD
$15.25


Battisti, Lucio
Unamamente Uomo: Il Sogn (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE JUNE 27TH )
PS, US Known for for his ability to reach the primal core of emotional matters, Battisti did some of his very best songwriting in his early '70s collaborations with the cryptically named lyricist Mogol. This 1972 album, the title of which translates to "Humanly Man: The Dream," features Battisti's gorgeous melodies wrapped up in soft, warm orchestral arrangements. Battisti's experimental pop is worth discovering on this first time U.S. CD release. Original artwork and new detailed liner notes.
Water-175
CD
$15.25


Beirut
Gulag Orkestar (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US While sounding like the work of an entire Balkan gypsy orchestra playing modern songs as mournful ballads & upbeat marches, is actually the work of 19 year old Albuquerque native Zack Condon w/an assist from Jeremy Barnes (NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL & HAWK & A HACKSAW). There are no guitars on this album; instead, horns, violins, cellos, ukuleles, mandolins, glockenspiel, drums, tambourines, congas, organs, pianos, clarinets and accordions all build and break around Condon's deep-voiced crooner vocals, swaying to the Eastern European beats like a drunken twelve-member carnival band.
BaDaBing!-048
CD
$14.50


Bell, Chris
I Am The Cosmos (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE AUGUST 1ST)
PS, US Big Star guitarist Chris Bell was one of the unsung heroes of American pop music; despite a life marked by tragedy and a career crippled by commercial indifference, the singer/songwriter's slim body of recorded work proved massively influential on the generations of indie rockers who emerged in his wake. Lyrically poignant and melodically stunning, this lone solo album is proof positive of his underappreciated pop mastery. 180 gram vinyl.
4MenWithBeards-143
LP
$16.25


Big Star
3rd (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE AUGUST 1ST)
PS, US Also known as Sister Lovers, Big Star's legendary 3rd album has been released and re-released countless times around the world with different track listings, different mixes, and different cover art. Now for the first time since it's debut release in 1978 is a re-release of the vinyl LP with the original cover art, incl. the innersleeve with the complete detailed liner notes and the original mixes and track listing. The master tape coming directly from Ardent Studios provides the highest sound quality of this vinyl classic - available as it was first released for the first time in 28 years. 180 gram audiophile vinyl.
4MenWithBeards-142
LP
$16.25


Bitcrush
In Distance (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 15TH)
PS, US "In Distance," Bitcrush's latest offering and first on n5MD, finds Ex-Gridlock beat-smith Mike Cadoo pushing n5MD further into a world where two disparate yet emotional elements, human and electronic, are merged into one. Recorded over a one year span, In Distance is "very personal," by the artist's admission. Cadoo has laid himself bare in an introspective ride where shimmering shoe-gaze-centric guitars, broken electronics, dual bass work, live drums, and Mike's now trademark "the one left behind" vocal style meld together into long aural road-trips ending at dusk in the middle of nowhere. A trip you will be more than happy to take considering who is driving. Vast and heartfelt; engaging yet adrift, In Distance has as much in common with his debut "Enarc" (Component) and the "Shimmer & Fade" EP (Enpeg) as it does with the more recent output of Mogwai, Album Leaf or even Fourtet. In Distance leads us there, now how do we get home...for fans of: mogwai, fourtet, ulrich schauss, dryft.
N5MD-137
CD
$13.00


Black Heart Procession
Spell, The (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
TouchandGo
LP
$15.25


Black Heart Procession
Spell, The (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US "The Spell" is the most fitting name yet for a Black Heart Procession record. Spells are cast over a person, a love affair, a nation, a world; they enchant and entrap, disorient and delude. They're the heart of this release, and there's no better word to describe the spooky intoxication of the band's sound. Theirs is the sound of driving at night across the West. Like the wide-open landscape, this is music that knows how to be both desolate and lush. Here, a song's 6/8 beat will pull you into a moody seductive waltz and next, the violin and piano evoke the house band of a lonesome cabaret with the lights turned low. Then the strings stop their mournful crying and shift into a propulsive thrum, and now we've got the pedal to the metal and we're heading straight down the open road into a cinematic twilight.
TouchandGo
CD
$15.25


Black Time
Midnight World (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
IntheRed-135
LP
$9.75


Black Time
Midnight World (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US The point is talent over ability, ideas over proficiency, energy over competence-action, time, and vision. Add some musical instruments to this confusion and the resulting mess is "Black Time" -shambolic but passionate, hollerin' and wailin' at the dying of the red light. If you pay attention to zines, blogs and websites dedicated to sub-underground rock, then no doubt you are aware that Black Time have been getting favorably compared to Crime, Pussy Galore, The Electric Eels, The Cramps and The Fall. A string of hopelessly limited edition vinyl 7"s and 12"s have stoked the fire. The hype is justified in this case, as Midnight World is the perfect marriage of chug-a-lug, primeval drumming, opaque layers of guitars, new wave cinema references, '60s and '70s punk, lo-fi static and overwrought vocals from frontman Lemmy Caution. The best UK export since The Country Teasers.
IntheRed-135
CD
$14.50


Blau, Karl
Slow Down Joe (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US From the watery shores of the artist's-paradise known as Anacortes, Washington comes a new 7" from KARL BLAU.
K
45
$4.25


Blue Sky Black Death
Heap of Broken (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US Debut double album by group comprised of hip hop production tandem Kingston & Young God exploring the nether regions of brooding hip hop, meshing dark samples, vocal snippets & live instrumentation. Incl. guest spots from all stars like PRT, GANG STARR, ROB SONIC, JUS ALLAH, MIKAH-9, SHAPESHIFTERS
Mush-243
DCD
$14.50


Blue Sky Black Death
Heap of Broken Images (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US VINYL VERSION!!!
Mush-243
DLP
$18.00


Boards of Canada
Trans Canada Highway EP (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 30TH)
PS, US Follow up to "Campfire Headphase" is an EP recalling "In a Beautiful Place" & "Hi Scores." Lovelorn clouds of analog melody, shuffle happy drum programming & deep, restless synth tones color the new tunes. Incl. ODD NOSDAM (ANTICON) remix. "An eclectic experiement in dreamy ambience."-Wired
Warp-9200
CD5
$10.50


Boards of Canada
Trans Canada Highway EP (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 30TH)
PS, US
Warp-9200
12
$16.00


Bong-Ra
Stereohype Heroin Hooker (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE JUNE 27TH)
PS, GERMANY New full length CD by Bong-Ra, taking another shot at an updated, twisted rave sound. The god of hellfire is back to haunt every single DJ playlist on the planet, and confronts himself with a high profile crew of remixers.
AdNoiseam-064
CD
$14.75


Boris
Pink (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 16TH)
PS, US These new recordings effectively combine all the strongest elements of what they are capable of into one solid, complete, concise album. It's mega-drone, balls- out punk rock, extreme dark psychedelia & 70s' fuzzed out acid rock. The clincher is an infusion of ultra-catchy melodicism into their already heavy foundation. There's infectious vocal melodies that combined with intelligent song-writing create a solidified, undeniable union. It comes with a die-cut cover that when opened reveals 3 perforated acid-tab cards.
SouthernLord-55
CD


Boyracer
Punker Than You Since '92 (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 16TH)
PS, US DOUBLE 'BEST OF' 75 SONG RETROSPECTIVE. Since the early 1990s Boyracer have existed around the singular pop visions of Stewart Anderson. Armed with a selection of fuzzboxes and a carefree revolving door line up, Boyracer have been carefully crafting their buzzsaw assault, shaving seconds off frantic slithers of adrenaline punk-pop. Noted recordings on numerous indie-cred labels such as Sarah Records and Slumberland, and brutally honest sweaty live performances have cemented Boyracer's place in global indiedom as influential stalwarts of the genre. This double disc set, on the band's own 555 Recordings label, features 75 selections from their exhaustive back catalogue. The tracks chosen (by Stewart) span the band's global history from Leeds, UK to Flagstaff, Arizona, via stints in Japan and Australia. Forever embracing the DIY ethic to excess, Boyracer are known for their completists nightmare of a back catalogue, (with nearly 500 songs on commercially available releases to date). "Punker Than You Since '92" includes much of the band's best known and strongest material coupled with long out of print tracks, (including the impossible to find debut 7" unavailable anywhere since it's release in 1992). There are tracks from strictly limited releases too, such as 2005's lathe cut 10" LP (which was a pressing of 75 copies worldwide). The compilation is a welcome round-up for diehards, a chance to fill in some gaps for the casual observer, and is also a perfect introduction for the new and curious to one of indiepop's longest standing and respected bands. Disc One 2001-2006: 1. A History Of Snakes, 2. They're Making Money Off You, 3. Who Pissed On Yr Bonfire?, 4. 2nd Hand Youth, 5. 9 To 5 Style, 6. Lou And Ged, 7. 90s Are Thru, 8. On Bleached Grass, 9. Sarah And Sarah, 10. (It Just Fell Down The) Back Of A Fridge, 11. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Harder, 12. Everyday Is Saturday Night, 13. Pop Holiday, 14. You've Squandered Yr Talents, 15. Billy Three, 16. Concede, 17. Ghosts In Japan, 18. Words Are Yr Currency, 19. Warmest Hours, 20. Tell Me Where My Hands Should Go, 21. Good Things Come To Those Who Wait, 22. Thought Even More Of You When You Told Me You Wanted Me Dead, 23. Louise, 24. Where To Place Yr Trust, 25. Yr Static Flame, 26. It's A Long Way To Go To Loose More Than Loose Change, 27. Fool Around, 28. We Have Such Gifts, 29. Temper, 30. The Sadness In You, 31. That Boy Yr With Is A Dick, 32. Stars And Car Parks, 33. Wholly Generic, 34. A Chipped Tooth And Greasy Fingers, 35. Secret Jokes , 36. We Are Pure Chrome, 37. The Man The Myth, 38. Temp, 39. Vinegar Evenings, 40. How Many Cars Can You Fit In Yr Garage?, 41. Toilets Of Northern Europe, 42. A Punch Up The Bracket, 43. Carefull What You Wish For, 44. When I Was A Blonde And You A Brunette, 45. Now I Have Everything. Disc Two 1991-1996: 1. Doorframe, 2. Turquiose Mood, 3. Yr Breaking His Heart, 4. Black Fantastic Splitting, 5. Yr Unspoken Desires, 6. Beautiful Lines, 7. Ive Got It And Its Not Worth Having, 8. West Riding House, 9. Twisted Love, 10. Tested, 11. Re-Run, 12. Buffalo, 13. Boyracer, 14. He Gets Me So Hard, 15. Talk Of Aching, 16. Goblin, 17. Meadowhall, 18. Patric Walker, 19. Untouched By Conversation, 20. E.J.K, 21. Passionflower, 22. Denatured, 23. Naked, 24. Two, 25. Blazing Fruit, 26. Boxing Day, 27. Wanting For All The Wrong Reasons, 28. Snowly, 29. Michael, 30. Railway.
555-073
DCD
$15.00


Brun, Ane
A Temporary Dive (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US Ane Brun is the uncrowned singer-songwriter queen of Scandinavia. Since her stunning European-only debut, "Spending Time With Morgan" in 2003, she has been generating full houses on her frequent tours in Europe and winning numerous musical awards, including Grammys in both Norway and Sweden. This is her second album and much of its content is a reflection of the year following the release of her debut. Features the stunning duet "Song No. 6" with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. "...a minimalist beauty so perfect that it evokes awed pleasure rather than gloom" - Time Out NY.
V2
CD
$13.75


Burdens
Living It Up (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US Sophomore release from guitar/drum indie rock husband & wife team Richard Scullin & Karin Stack. "The Burdens distill songs down to their lo-fi basics, creating a uniquely potent brand of folk-rock" -Delusions of Adequacy. Guest musicians include Anne Doerner (BOOKS) on fiddle & Allen Whitman (MERMEN) on bass. National Public Radio reviewer Seth Rogovoy described the Burdens as a cross "between recent Wilco & Yo La Tengo."
StoneHill-03
CD
$11.00


Burdens
Uh Oh (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US Debut album features guests Craig Schumacher, Nick Luca (LUCA, CALEXICO, IRON&WINE) & Allen Whitman (MERMEN, FEZ GUYS). Guitar/drum duo lightly add mandolin, harmonica, lap steel & organ to their minimalist indie rock. "Jangly guitar country college rock...Simple & likeable dark folk...A little repetitive, but nice country folk with weird guitar effects. A little strange." Hybrid Magazine.
StoneHill-02
CD
$11.00


Cairo Gang
Self-Titled (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE JUNE 27TH)
PS, US They're 6 AM soothe-core for the puzzled, punch drunks of the world. They pick up smack dab where Elliot Smith left off, sporting true lemon drop tunes for the down trodden. Groovy & ghostly imprints that leave one feeling completely defeated yet wide-eyed enough to paint a few self-portraits without a single cringe. Deep, soft rock for tobacco tinged hearts.
Narmack-7038
CD
$12.75


Cale, John
New York In the 1960s (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US His great credit, both inside & outside the Velvet Underground, was to have found the inoculation dosage that would addict the music industry to SOUND without alienating one world from the other. But outside the "official" VU there was also an uncut version of the virus, incubated behind the slum walls of the 1960s Lower East Side, & maintained live in the liquid nitrogen of these insolently recorded reel-to-reel audiotapes, RECORDED AND PRODUCED BY JOHN CALE & now available in this massive 3xCD boxed set.
TableofElements-087
3XCD
$38.75


Camera Obscura
Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 9TH)
PS, US The first single from the forthcoming full-length "Let's Get Out of This Country". A 3 1/2 min. pop masterpiece with a healthy nod to 60s girl groups complete with Spectorian "wall of sound" production. With 2 non-LP B-sides & the video for "I Love My Jean".
Merge-286
CD5
$5.50


Cash, Johnny
Open Road (PRE-ORDER: SALEABLE MAY 23RD)
PS, US The recordings that Johnny Cash made at the beginning of his long and fortunate career all took place in SUN studios, under the watchful eye of producer Sam Phillips, well known for also having discovered Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Phillips was struck by "Hey Porter," a song Cash had written just after he returned from the military.