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New Releases for October 27, 2014
Abysmal Dawn – Obsolescence CD/LP (Relapse)
A veritable beast of a record and the perfect example of what 21st century death metal should sound like. Features guest appearances from Christian Muenzner (ex-Obscura, ex-Necrophagist, Spawn Of Possesion) and Bobby Koelble (Death).
Bryan Adams – Tracks Of My Years CD (Polydor)
New covers album from the multi-platinum Canadian rocker. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds bonus tracks.
Afghan Whigs – Gentleman [Reissue/1993] 2xCD/LP (Rhino)
If there is one album fully deserving of a coming of age celebration, it is The Afghan Whigs' Gentlemen. Originally released in October 1993, the album and the band – was seen as the bastard stepchild of the alt-rock era and, as the Los Angeles Times noted, is an "overlooked masterpiece." The double-disc CD set features the original album newly remastered along with a bonus disc of seventeen demos, B-sides, and live performances, the great majority of which are previously unreleased.
Oren Ambarchi – Quixotism CD/LP (Editions Mego)
Recorded with a multitude of collaborators in Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA, Quixotism presents the fruit of two years of work in the form of a single, LP-length piece in five parts. Oren Ambarchi's work in recent years has evinced an increasing fascination with the possibilities of combining abstract sonic textures with rhythm and pulse, whether in his drumming with Keiji Haino, the subtly driving ride cymbals provided by drummer Joe Talia in their work together, or the motorik grooves of 2012's Sagittarian Domain. Quixotism takes this aspect of Ambarchi's recent work to the next level: the entirety of this long-form work is built on a foundation of pulsing double-time electronic percussion provided by Thomas Brinkmann.
Anaal Nathrakh – Desideratum CD (Metal Blade)
"Anaal Nathrakh is their own special breed of terrifying, mixing up grindcore speediness with giant choruses and riffs that are the audible equivalent of otal nuclear annihilation. So it's not surprise their new track "Idol" rips so hard I'm almost shocked I'm still alive after listening to it with headphones. Get yourself ready…" – Metal Injection
Atriarch – An Unending Pathway CD/LP (Relapse)
Atriarch are a Portland-based metal band whose sound encompasses hard rock, sludge, doom, and drone.
At The Gates – At War With Reality CD/LP (Century Media)
At The Gates, godfathers of the 'Gothenburg style' melodic death metal sound, return almost 20 years to set the story straight on who wears the extreme metal crown. At War With Reality is the follow-up to 1995's Slaughter Of The Soul, with the lineup intact from that landmark
album. CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes bonus tracks.
Bobby BeauSoleil With The Freedom Orchestra And The Magick Powerhouse Of Oz – Lucifer Rising Suite 4xCD (Ajna Offensive)
BeauSoleil landed in Haight-Ashbury just prior to his 18th birthday. Marching into the thriving psychedelic street revolution, he formed artrock band The Orkustra and began gigging regularly at Be-In events throughout the city. During this time, just months before the onset of the Summer Of Love, underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger discovered him during a psychedelic arts festival called The Invisible Circus. He immediately cast the handsome musician as the lead man and fallen angel archetype in his latest celluloid ritual, Lucifer Rising. With typical melodramatic pomp, Anger approached him in a parking lot after the festival, declaring, "You are Lucifer!" He agreed to play the part under the condition that he would also compose the film's soundtrack. Caged first in San Quentin and later in Tracy State Prison, BeauSoleil's creative impulses could not be squelched despite his repressive surroundings. With diligence he was able to set up an inmate music program at the latter institution in the early 1970s. Now, for the first time, all the music composed for the soundtrack has been compiled into a single public release.
Bell Gardens – Slow Dawns For Lost Conclusions CD/LP+MP3 (Rocket Girl)
Bell Gardens combines the musical visions of Kenneth James Gibson (Furry Things, 8 Frozen Modules) and Brian McBride (Stars Of The Lid). Their sound is less reliant on effects and studio trickery than the pairs' independent guises, laying bare as it does vocals and live instruments with emotional sincerity, and presenting songs imbued with an almost pastoral or gospel simplicity and timelessness. Features a wider palette of players (pedal steel, bass, drums, keys), and also features contributions from Lauren Chipman (Rentals), Stewart Cole (Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros).
Beyond Creation – Earthborn Evolution CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
The Montreal-based quartet has evolved into a stunning archetype for the next generation of progressive, technical metal bands. Within their intrepid sense of arrangement, frenetic riffs and sweeping melodies give way to majestic solo passages as world-class songs explode with emotional crescendos.
Black Veil Brides – Black Veil Brides CD (Republic)
New album from the emo rockers. Black Veil Brides was produced by studio legend Bob Rock, known for producing some of rock's most successful albums including ones from Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
The Blind Shake – Breakfast of Failures CD (Goner)
Minneapolis three-piece The Blind Shake crafts dense, massive locomotive music—powerful sounds with the ability to careen through one cinematic, post-apocalyptic chase scene after another. Vinyl version due November 11. "The Blind Shake is at once spacey, primitive futuristic, and brutal: a kind of backyard extraterrestrial minimal surf-punk party. One guitar, one baritone guitar, a fuckload of reverb, and a drummer who deserves an Olympic medal." —SF Weekly
Dan Bodan – Soft CD/LP (DFA)
Berlin based songwriter Dan Bodan was born in the wide-open Canadian prairies and raised in Montreal. Reared on the cities underground noise and experimental music scene, Bodan moved to Berlin eight years ago. Blossoming in the cities unique mixture of crumbling old-world European values, start-up philanthropy, sleepless techno and epic grey skies, he began writing songs to soundtrack his train rides through the city and make sense of it all. Recommended for fans of FKA Twigs, Rhye, Autre Ne Veut, How To Dress Well.
Wade Bowen – Wade Bowen CD (AMP)
New release from the Texas country singer/songwriter.
Eddie Condon – Classic Sessions 1927-1949 4xCD (JSP)
A collection of tracks recorded between 1927 and 1949 by the jazz banjoist, guitarist, bandleader (and occasional singer).
The Cramps – Smell Of Female [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – A Date With Elvis [Reissue/1986] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – RockinnReelininAucklandNewZealandXXX [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – Stay Sick [Reissue/1989] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – Look Mom No Head [Reissue/1991] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – Big Beat From Badsville [Reissue/1997] CD/LP (Vengeance)
The Cramps – Fiends From Dope Island [Reissue/2003] CD/LP (Vengeance)
Back in print on CD and vinyl. The Cramps was an American punk band, formed in 1976 and disbanded 2009. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of lead singer Lux Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy as the only permanent members
Crobot – Something Supernatural CD/LP (Wind Up)
New album from the Central Pennsylvania old-souled, dirty groove rock quartet. For their new album, the band joined forces with Lamb of God producer Machine, praising him for giving "great input" throughout the process. Something Supernatural "incorporates a lot of riff-heavy groove and funk mixed with a modernized spin." – Guitar World
Cut Hands – Festival Of The Dead CD/2xLP (Blackest Ever Black)
Divisive noise veteran William Bennet returns to Blackest Ever Black with another full-length under the Cut Hands moniker. "Bennet's recent slew of percussion-heavy releases have seen the Whitehouse don emerge in the most unexpected places – he recently toured the US with Brummie industrial metal deities Godflesh, for example – and Festival of the Dead is sure to continue that ascent. The album is Bennet's third as Cut Hands, and is touted as being his most potent to date – certainly on the evidence of pummeling new single 'The Claw' it sounds as if he's building on the voodoo-inspired promise of his last two records, and bringing in more than a fair sprinkling of Regis's Birmingham thump." – Fact Mag
Danity Kane – DK3 CD (Mass Appeal)
Spawned by the buzz tracks "Bye Baby" and "Lemonade" featuring Tyga, DK3 reunites the ladies with The Stereotypes who produced their early hits along with smash records from Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber, Usher, Ne-Yo and countless others.
Dave Davies – Rippin' Up Time CD (Red River)
10 new original tracks from Kinks lead guitarist Dave Davies. According to Davies, Rippin' Up Time is about "a man's reflections of the past, his fears, anxieties and optimism about the present and hopeful expectations about the future." Davies' distorted, high-flying guitar was a signature part of the Kinks' British Invasion-era sound, his infectious riffs providing songs like "You Really Got Me" and "All Day And All Of The Night" with their visceral punch and undeniable energy. His original material, like the U.K. hit "Death Of A Clown," showed Davies to be as talented a songwriter as he is a musician. Although his conflicts with his brother and fellow Kinks bandmate Ray Davies are the stuff of legend, Dave stuck it out until the band's break-up in 1996 after better than 30 years. Davies was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a member of The Kinks.
Dawnbringer – Night Of The Hammer CD (Profound Lore)
Led by one-man heavy metal machine Chris Black, considered by many the savior of modern-day metal, Dawnbringer has become a force in underground realms over the last several years, releasing a number of acclaimed albums, most recently Nucleus (2010) and Into The Lair Of The Sun God (2012) on Profound Lore Records. With their latest full-length on the horizon, Dawnbringer is once again ready to remind us that metal's true spirit is still alive and well.
The Dickies – 1977/1982: A Night That Will Live In Infamy & Live When They Were Five CD (Cleopatra)
Available for the first time on CD, these two killer Dickies live shows from 1977 and 1982 include several bonus tracks and rare demos for a total of 31 tracks.
Drgn King – Baltimore Crush CD (Bar/None)
On Drgn King's second album, the band tells the story of growing up in Baltimore. The songs revolve around a community of disenfranchised kids looking for kicks while trying to make a world they can call their own. An underground punk scene in a church basement flourishes until drug abuse and other mayhem derails their DIY dream. Baltimore Crush trips through time, re-visiting rock & roll ghosts, churning in the undertow of the present and imagining worlds to come.
Emit – Spectre Music Of An Antiquary CD (Crucial Blast)
Emit has honed their unique brand of experimental, blackened delirium since the late '90s, branching off from the lo-fi black metal band Ante Cryst. Their creepy, synth-heavy sound is unmistakably descended from black metal yet more deformed, combining harsh electronic noise, horror-movie soundtrack atmospherics, droning keyboards, wrecked and fractured guitars, and bizarre vocals. Spectre Music Of An Antiquary is the first new material from the British outfit in over five years, a full-length collection of murky ambience, deranged synth, ritualistic black drift and stranger forays into black noise.
Espectrostatic – Escape From Witchtropolis CD/LP (Trouble In Mind)
Austin, TX resident Alex Cuervo (Blacktop, Hex Dispensers) turned a few heads last year with Espectrostatic; his synth-based electronic project in favor of spooky electronic pulses and synth drones ala John Carpenter and Tangerine Dream. Escape From Witchtropolis ups the ante with more sophisticated and subtle arrangements, letting the songs unfold organically, still inferring the presence of a soundtrack to an as-yet-unmade horror flick.
Fight Facilities – Down To Earth CD (Glassnote)
"Australian dance duo Flight Facilities made a name for themselves back in 2010 with the effortlessly sultry single 'Crave You,' which featured Giselle Rosselli, although some may have seen the slightly ominous take on it recently by none other than Kylie Minogue. Four years on, Hugo and Jimmy continue to adopt their aeronautical attire and have released their debut album Down To Earth. It has certainly not been rushed – the single 'Clair De Lune' took a year to produce alone – and consequently the result is mature and eclectic. Down To Earth seems at times like a compilation of dance music through the ages. First you have tracks like 'Hold Me Down' and 'Sunshine,' the latter an unsurprisingly summery number which features the notedly diverse vocals of Reggie Watts, and both nod towards the groove and funk eras of the '70s and '80s. And then there are songs like 'Apollo' which take us back to the '90s, with its simple house beat and serene swooning vocals, or even 'Heart Attack' which dips in and out of techno." – The Line Of Best Fit
The Flaming Lips And Fwends – With A Little Help From My Fwends CD/LP (WB)
The band has recorded their own versions of each track on The Beatles' 1967 classic in their own inimitable style, with help from special friends Miley Cyrus, Moby, My Morning Jacket, J. Mascis, Dr. Dog, Phantogram, Tegan and Sara, Grace Potter, Electric Würms and many others. "If this album was a total piece of sh*t, then maybe Beatles fans (and even Lips fans) would have something to complain about. Luckily, it isn't. But when it comes down to it, this isn't just Sgt. Pepper through a Lips filter. After a number of listens, the album opens up, exposing intricacies and layers that at times even rival the original. Sure, there are points of oddity and obtuse Lips-isms, but would you expect anything less?" – Consequence Of Sound
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band – Intensity Ghost CD/LP (No Quarter)
Intensity Ghost is a follow-up to last year's critically acclaimed Solar Motel album, which made year ends lists at The New Yorker, Uncut Magazine and Popmatters and provoked ecstatic comparisons; from Television and Neil Young & Crazy Horse to Richard Thompson and The Grateful Dead. Solar Motel came together as a solo album but the band Forsyth assembled to tour the record bassist Peter Kerlin, guitarist Paul Sukeena (Spacin ), and drummer Steve Urgo (ex-War on Drugs) – took things to another level and quickly became a powerhouse.
Francisco The Man – Loose Ends CD/LP (Fat Possum/Small Plates)
"Riverside via Los Angeles indie rock kids Francisco The Man are not a man at all. Confusing? No, it's a thread of misinformation these four fellows seem intent on disseminating. A name that invokes a stoned Malkmus-esque rambling with half-finished solos and sloppy rhythms. The truth is, Loose Ends is about as loose as Francisco The Man is a man. Instead, the group's debut album is all bombastic stadium-bound drums and edgy-with-a-hint-of-drone guitar lines that nod to their instrumental origins." – Tiny Mix Tapes
French For Rabbits – Spirits CD/LP (Lefse)
Haunting dream-pop from New Zealand.
Lefty Frizell – Country Music Legend: Selected Sides 1950-1959 4xCD (JSP)
Box set of classic country sides recorded by the great Lefty Frizzell. 100 tracks.
Eric Gales – Good For Sumthin' CD (Cleopatra)
One of the most respected and praised guitarists in modern music returns with a monster new album featuring 12 powerhouse blues rock cuts.
The Gary – Farwell Foolish Objects LP (Sick Room)
Farewell Foolish Objects is the fifth album by the other little old band from Texas, The Gary. This time around, we find them battered and bruised from loves lost and lives rearranged, but steadfastly vertical and plodding forward. Songs of insomnia, divorce, urban sprawl, strange childhood memories, bombastic arrival, cautious optimism, possibility, and a Mountain Goats cover for good measure.
Roberto Gerhard – Electronic Explorations From His Studio + The BBC Radiophonic Workshop 1958-1967 CD/LP (Sub Rosa)
Groundbreaking work from Roberto Gerhard – a composer born in Spain, but who created some amazing electronic sounds in the British scene of the '50s and '60s – easily some of the first and most important electronic music to come from the UK. Gerhard was a key member of the newly-formed BBC Radiophonic Workshop – which would go onto record even more famously in the '60s – and even in these early works, he's creating sounds that rival the best of the German and French musique concrete artists of the time – really striking passages that include "Audiomobile In The Manner Of Goya", "Audiomobiles 2 – DNA In Reflection," "Caligula," and the extended "Lament For The Death Of A Bullfighter," which features the recitation of a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca.
Graveyard Tapes – White Rooms CD/LP (Lost Tribe Sound)
White Rooms is the follow-up to the acclaimed debut from Edinburgh-based duo Euan McMeeken (glacis, The Kays Lavelle) and Matthew Collings (Splintered Instruments, Sketches For Albinos). Their first album confronted heartbreak, solitude and death, WHITE ROOMS looks to progress, even repair, restore. Collings assumed the role of primary songwriter, and here the darkly lit, fully curtained spaces of their inaugural record serve not as a wake, but a wake-up call. Both Collings and McMeeken have long embraced collaboration in their solo careers, having worked with the likes of Ben Frost, Old Earth, and Dag Rosenqvist (Jasper TX). This time around they've given their collaborative natures ample room to breathe. Many tracks were improvised with Ben Chatwin, who records as Talvihorros, while the song "Flicker" finds omni-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter William Ryan Fritch (Vieo Abiungo, Death Blues: Ensemble) lending his cello.
Grouper – Ruins CD/LP (Kranky)
Available October 31. Ruins was made in Aljezur, Portugal in 2011 on a residency set up by Galeria Ze dos Bois. Everything was recorded there, save the last song, which Grouper recorded at her mother's house. From Grouper: "I'm still surprised by what I wound up with. It was the first time I'd sat still for a few years; processed a lot of political anger and emotional garbage. Recorded pretty simply, with a portable four-track, Sony stereo mic and an upright piano."
Haerts – Haerts CD/LP (Sony)
Debut full-length album from the Brooklyn indie electro-pop band.
Hard Working Americans – The First Waltz CD+DVD (Melvin)
Formed in late 2013, Hard Working Americans features acclaimed singer/songwriter Todd Snider, Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), Neal Casal (Chris Robinson Brotherhood), Chad Staehly (Great American Taxi), Duane Trucks and Jesse Aycock. The First Waltz is a double-disc CD+DVD set including 11 live recordings, a brand new studio track with Rosanne Cash, and a full-length feature film capturing the formation of Hard Working Americans and their first performances together in late 2013.
Have Mercy – A Place Of Our Own CD (Hopeless)
Roughly a year and a half after the release of debut LP The Earth Pushed Back, Baltimore emo band Have Mercy return with their sophomore follow-up. For this record they worked with Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, The Dangerous Summer) as their producer.
Ryan Hemsworth – Alone For The First Time CD/LP (Last Gang)
"Turning on the radio for just ten minutes and you probably won't be able to distinguish one song from another. Hemsworth felt he needed to confront this. In a press release he stated Alone For The First Time was a reaction to the current state of modern music and to 'get out of these clubs and find something different,' adding the record served as 'a hiatus from necessary evils.' Rather than keeping you in the club till 4AM endlessly chasing the grind of the turn up, Hemsworth makes you wish you were wrapped up in bed watching re-runs of your favorite show on Netflix. And he does exactly that with the opening track 'Hurt Me'. With soft synths, keys that sound they are out of Super Mario 64, and the faint backing vocals, you instantly forget the need to update your Twitter news feed. And Hemsworth continues to keep you absorbed. On 'Blemish' he uses what sounds like an almost alien like guitar and uses drums to a level that most producers wouldn't even attempt." – The Four Oh Five
His Name Is Alive – Tecuciztecatl CD/LP (London London)
Tecuciztecatl is a psychedelic rock opera with fuzz guitar and layered vocal harmonies. Features different mixes and edits for LP, CD, and download versions.
Sam Hunt – Montevallo CD (MCA Nashville)
New release from the country star. Montevallo was produced by Zach Crowell (Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban) and Shane McAnally (Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves).
The Invisible Hands – Teslam CD (Abduction)
"The Invisible Hands is a transcontinental collaboration between Alvarius B. (Alan Bishop of Sun City Girls) and four stellar young musicians from Cairo, Egypt: Cherif El Masri, Aya Hemeda (both formerly of the popular Egyptian group Eskenderella), Adham Zidan and Magued Nagat. On Teslam, The Invisible Hands expand the already panoramic range of their eponymous debut LP with a haunting set of melodic, impeccably crafted songs whose vintage psych/hard-rock edge conjures up early Alice Cooper almost as often as it recalls Sun City Girls and 20th-century icons like Ennio Morricone and Serge Gainsbourg.
Itasca – Unmoored By The Wind CD/LP (New Images)
Folk guitarist and songwriter originally from New York State Kayla Cohen, aka Itasca, has released several small-press CDRs and cassettes over the past five years. A resident of L.A. since 2012, she records at home, taking inspiration from the fringes of the city's open space and natural land. At once soft-spoken and virtuosic, Cohen's mesmerizing fingerpicking lays gauzy groundwork for vocal work David Keenan described as "courtly … dazzling." This spacious set of songs flows seamlessly between wistful interludes à la Bob Desper and fully-fledged verses of powerful, often beguiling imagery.
Jagged Edge – J.E. Heartbreak II CD (BMG Rights Management)
Eighth album from the R&B group. Includes the single "Hope."
James Farm (Joshua Redman/Aaron Parks/Matt Penman/Eric Harland) – City Folk CD (Nonesuch)
James Farm is a collaborative band featuring saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland. The band uses traditional acoustic jazz quartet instrumentation for its song-based approach to jazz and incorporates the members' myriad influences: rock, soul, folk, classical, and electronica, among many others.
Eric Johnson/Mike Stern – Eclectic CD (Heads Up)
Two bona fide guitar heroes in their respective fields – Eric Johnson in the rock realm and Mike Stern in the jazz world – join forces to produce the explosive Eclectic, a scintillating musical showcase that brings together their disparate influences in one potent package.
Syleena Johnson – Chapter 6: Couples Therapy CD (Greg Baker Presents)
R&B s best kept secret is finally out. Another chapter in the book of Syleena Johnson has been written. Couples Therapy chronicles the journey of the ins and outs of a relationship and everything in between.
Bessie Jones – Get In Union 2xCD (Tompkins Square)
Bessie Jones was one of the most popular performers on the 1960s and '70s folk circuit, appearing—usually at the helm of the Georgia Sea Island Singers—at colleges, festivals, the Poor People's March on Washington, and Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Get In Union is a collection of her classic recordings with the Singers, combined with many previously unavailable solo and small-group performances captured by Alan Lomax between 1959 and 1966.
Kiasmos – Kiasmos CD/2xLP (Erased Tapes)
After dropping several tracks and performing at select festivals throughout the years, Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen dedicated the year 2014 to explore the area in-between Ólafur's more acoustic, piano-based solo work and Janus' synth-heavy electro-pop, with their collaborative electronic project Kiasmos.
Kiss – Love Gun [Reissue/1977] 2xCD (UMe)
Expanded double-CD edition of the legendary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees' 1977 album. Disc One features the remastered edition of the album while Disc Two contains demos, and interview, live tracks and more.
The Lacs – Nothing In Particular CD (Average Joe's Ent.)
The Lacs' music has it's own unique style created by mixing country storytelling with a little bit of hip-hop attitude and rock & roll. Includes guest appearances by JJ Lawhorn, Luke Martin, Bubba Sparxxx, Charlie Farley and Cap Bailey.
Lagwagon – Hang CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
As a band that has been heavily influential on modern punk, Lagwagon's existing resume is beyond reproach, yet Hang outshines all past exploits by utilizing every bit of their hard-earned experience, musicianship, and song writing savvy. Musically it's a concoction of Hoss, Trashed, and Blaze, seasoned with Duh's metallic overtones and Let's Talk About Feelings' strong sense of melody, and finished off with a progressive character as yet unseen on any previous release. Lyrically it's a stunningly substantive commentary on the modern world, written through the lens of a lifetime of visceral experience. Hang is the perfect balance of music and meaning; massive riffs playing off of unforgettable hooks and classic melody, all bound by a stirring tone and message.
Daniel Lanois – Flesh And Machine CD (Anti)
Daniel Lanois is one of the most influential record producers of the modern era: the man who brought Bob Dylan back; longtime collaborator with Brian Eno, soundsculpting a series of mammoth releases for U2; and producer of breakthrough late-career albums by Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. But before all that, Daniel Lanois was an experimental musician, recording his unique guitar voicings for groundbreaking albums with guys like Brian Eno and Jon Hassell, along the way helping to invent a genre called ambient music. Vinyl version due November 10.
Stoney Larue – Aviator CD (E1)
The Texas native-turned longtime Oklahoman resident has had a successful career to date running the roads for a long time as a perennial crowd favorite covering a large swath of the United States in support of his award-winning self-released projects. Aviator weaves through the old-school analog on two-inch tape, to one-take performances by world-class studio musicians that brought an energy and sound together like a World Series championship team.
Led Zeppelin – IV [Reissue/1971] CD/2xCD/LP/2xLP (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy [Reissue/1973] CD/2xCD/LP/2xLP (Atlantic)
As with the previous deluxe editions, both albums have been newly remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page and are accompanied by a second disc of companion audio comprised entirely of unreleased music related to that album. The Super Deluxe box sets include the deluxe double-CD editions, the double HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressings, high-def audio digital of all content at 96kHz/24 bit, a hard bound 80-page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia, and a high-quality print of the original album cover.
Trip Lee – Rise CD (Reach)
New album from the R&B artist.
Jerry Lee Lewis – Rock & Roll Time CD/LP (Welk/Vanguard)
Lewis's new album features a star-studded line up of guests including Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, Ron Wood, Neil Young, Shelby Lynne, Nils Lofgren, Daniel Lanois and more.
Lily & Madeleine – Fumes CD/LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
From the beginning, Lily & Madeleine's calling card has been the breathtaking and intuitive union of their voices. When the two come together in ecstatic and seamless blood harmony, it's a sound that continues to haunt long after the songs are sung, leaving an electrical charge behind like a sparkling tracer in the air. When they step out individually as vocalists, Lily's warm, smoky alto is the counterpoint to Madeleine's crystalline, bell-like soprano.
Lil' Mo – The Scarlet Letter CD (Penalty Ent. LLC)
First entering the music industry as a protégé of label mate Missy Elliot, Lil' Mo has since gone on to work with a number of artists including Fabolous, Ja Rule, Jay-Z and Whitney Houston.
Live – The Turn CD (Think Loud)
The Turn is Live's ninth studio album, and the band enlisted the help of the original Live producer, Jerry Harrison (The Talking Heads). In the studio, the quartet has re-invigorated its sound with effusive energy and massive hooks.
Lunatic Soul – Walking On A Flashlight Beam CD/LP (Kscope)
Lunatic Soul is a progressive rock side-project founded by Riverside vocalist and bass guitarist Mariusz Duda in 2008.
Barry Manilow – My Dream Duets CD/LP (Verve)
Just in time for Halloween, Manilow's dream duets album features magical collabs with dead people: Whitney Houston, John Denver, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr., Mama Cass, Dusty Springfield, Judy Garland, Andy Williams, Jimmy Durante, Frankie Lymon, and Marilyn Monroe. How did he do it? He took the original vocal performances of these iconic stars and recasted them in a duet setting with newly recorded tracks.
Branford Marsalis – In My Solitude: Live At Grace Cathedral CD (Okeh/Masterworks)
For In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral, Marsalis one of the few illustrious jazz artists who have performed at Grace since Duke Ellington in 1965 gave a performance of both composed and improvised music. The album features an eclectic mix of repertoire, from C.P.E. Bach, solo saxophone pieces by Steve Lacy and Ryo Noda, and a beautiful version of Hoagy Carmichael s Stardust, all connected by improvisations from Branford, which keeps the music flowing and holds the album together.
Paul McCartney – New 2xCD+DVD (Hear Music)
Collector's Edition of McCartney's 2013 album, package in a hard bound book with never-before-seen photos documenting the release. The additional CD includes three previously unreleased tracks and four songs recorded live at the Tokyo Dome in 2013. The DVD features footage from release events in Las Vegas, New York, London, plus behind the scenes films and much more.
Medicine – Home Everywhere CD (Captured Tracks)
During this past year Brad Laner, Elizabeth Thompson and Jim Goodall eschewed the '90s nostalgia touring circuit trod by their peers and instead dug deep to bring you Home Everywhere: a collection of new songs created with a gaze that is omni-directional. An answer to no other band, movement or genre (don't be lazy, you). An ambitious work that could be no one else but said three lifer music weirdies in full inspiration mode. Vinyl version due November 10.
Leighton Meester – Heartstrings CD (Hotly Wanting)
New album from Leighton Meester, the acclaimed actress known for her role in the series Gossip Girl. The album was written entirely by Leighton and produced by Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow).
Mike Mictlan – Hella Frreal CD (Doomtree)
Featuring production from some of Minneapolis' finest producers (Cecil Otter, Cory Grindber, 2% Muck, 1990, Juan Million), with guest features by Greg Grease and Fake Four's Ceschi
Mike has toured the world with his Doomtree crew over the last decade, popping up on some their biggest hits.
Mono – The Last Dawn CD (Temporary Residence)
Mono – Rays Of Darkness CD (Temporary Residence)
Two brand new companion studio albums by Japanese experimental rock group. Recorded simultaneously yet conceptually and creatively disparate, the two act as both opposing and complementary sides to a story. The Last Dawn is the "lighter" of the two, thematically and melodically, drawing on an array of influences from minimalist film score to vintage shoegaze. Rays Of Darkness is billed as the band's blackest album ever, a collection of scorched riffs, doom rhythms, and an unexpected contribution from post-hardcore pioneer Tetsu Fukagawa of Envy. Vinyl versions due November 4.
The Monsieurs – The Monsieurs CD/LP (Black Gladiator)
The Monsieurs unleash indubitable rockin' rollin' noise with sharp aesthetics, aggression and a perfect amount of pop sensibility.
Mysteries – New Age Music Is Here CD/LP (Felte)
Mysteries is just as it implies. A few months ago the Felte label received an anonymous demo accompanied by a photo of three figures, faces covered like some sort of futuristic druids. To this day the label still doesn't know the group's origin, but the joy of discovering this music unimpeded renders this fact almost irrelevant. There's a sense that the band would prefer to keep your focus on the music and not who they are, where they come from or what you might perceive them to be before hearing a single note. Is it truly new age? We definitely haven't heard much like it.
Mystery Skulls – Forever CD (WB)
Mystery Skulls' music offers hints of '70s and '80s pop and dance music with futuristic elements, shifting from a dark, lurking place of uncertainty to lighter and more self-aware as Forever progresses. Two tracks feature dance music legend Nile Rodgers and R&B chanteuse Brandy.
Necrophagia – White Worm Cathedral CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
New album from the death metal band.
Negativland – It's All In Your Head 2xCD (Seeland)
Negativland's new album finds the group tackling their biggest subject ever: why humans believe in God. Millennia-in-development, this ambitious and densely-crafted double-CD is packaged inside an actual Holy Bible which has been appropriately repurposed into a "found" art object. It's All In Your Head intends to entertain, inform and provoke, mixing found music, found sound, found dialogue, guest personalities and original electronic noises in a compelling and thoughtful musical essay that looks at monotheism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, neuroscience, suicide bombers, 9/11, colas, war, shaved chimps and the all-important role played by the human brain in our beliefs.
No Mercy [Suicidal Tendencies] – Widespread Bloodshed Love Runs Red [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Suicidal)
Reissue of this long out-of-print album originally released in 1987. The band line-up on the album features Mike Muir, Mike Clark, Ric Clayton, and Sal Troy. In 1987, No Mercy released their first and only album Widespread Bloodshed Love Runs Red and were about to record their second album with many new songs already written but Clayton and Troy quit. Instead of recruiting new members, Muir decided to 'merge' the two bands by having Clark join Suicidal Tendencies.
Nurse With Wound – Terms And Conditions Apply 2xCD (Dirter Promotions)
Terms And Conditions collates Nurse With Wound material from the period 2008-2011. Includes for the first time digitally The Bacteria Magnet and Rushkoff Coercion EPs, previously unreleased remixes and exclusive tracks. Comes in a deluxe six-panel digipak with art from Babs Santini.
Obituary – Inked In Blood CD/LP (Relapse)
The death metal legends make their Relapse debut with Inked In Blood, their ninth full length LP. CD version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes two exclusive bonus songs and is packaged in a 3D embossed digipak along with a die-cut album cover sticker. Limited vinyl quantities pressed on blood-red wax.
Off Land – Quinarian CD (Psychonavigation)
New album from Off Land aka Tim Dwyer. Quinarian showcases Tim's love of space ambient. The combination of lush synth pads and choice vocal samples create a beautiful soundscape that fans of the late Pete Namlook/Tangerine Dream will adore.
Partynextdoor – Partynextdoor 2 CD (Ovo Sounds)
New album from the producer, songwriter and singer from Mississauga, Ontario. Partynextdoor contributed to "Own It" and "Come Through" on Drake's Nothing Was The Same.
Ashley Paul – Heat Source CD (Important)
Paul uses an array of instruments including saxophone, clarinet, voice, guitar, bells and percussion, mixing disparate elements to create a colorful palate of sound that works its way into her intuitive songs; free-forming, introverted melodies.
Pianos Become The Teeth – Keep You CD (Epitaph)
Pianos Become The Teeth is an American screamo band with post-rock influences that formed in 2006. They perform a style of music inspired by post-rock and early screamo acts, and are a part of "The Wave" — an in-joke began by friends Touché Amoré, La Dispute, Defeater, and Make Do And Mend, all playing a form of post-hardcore music. Vinyl version due November 10.
Radio Riddler – Purple Reggae CD (Easy Star)
Celebrating 30 years of Purple Rain, Radio Riddler present this all-star tribute to Prince's most iconic work. A labor of love that's been five years in the making for the production outfit, Purple Reggae started life as an experiment between Fun Lovin' Criminal's Frank Benbini and Fast Leiser, aka Radio Riddler in between their remixes for the likes of Coldplay and Lily Allen.
Rancid – Honor Is All We Know CD/LP+CD+7" (Epitaph)
Rancid's new record is much like their other records in the sense that it is filled with the stories and characters that populate the band s lives, and reflects the cultural and political climate in which it was written and recorded. It has classic Rancid songcraft: two minute songs packed with melody, personally empathetic and politically denunciatory. (Vinyl version adds a copy on CD and a bonus 7" single.)
Dave Ray – Legacy 3xCD (Red House)
Triple-disc collection of rare and unreleased songs by influencial acoustic bluesman Dave "Snaker" Ray. A pioneer in the Minneapolis folk and blues revival that spawned Bob Dylan, Ray brought an enthusiasm and raw, raunchy earthiness to his performance style that set the stage for artists that followed.
Requiem – The Unexplainable Truth CD (Cleopatra)
Requiem is new post hardcore project from I Am Ghost vocalist Steve Juliano for fans of My Chemical Romance, AFI, and A Day To Remember.
Restorations – LP3 CD (Side One Dummy)
"Restorations' third album in four years marks a quick progression from its emo and pop-punk roots to the gruff and grandiose heartland rock that always hovered in the background. Think of the punks raised on Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, if you must — The Gaslight Anthem, The Hold Steady, Constantines — but LP3 is more reminiscent of when the late-'90s emo band Chamberlain" – NPR. Vinyl version due November 17.
Riot – Unleash The Fire CD (Steamhammer)
The remaining members of power metal pioneers Riot return the follow up to 2011's reunion record Immortal Soul. Vinyl version due November 18.
Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2 CD/2xLP (Mass Appeal)
El-P and Killer Mike, two of the most distinctive and celebrated names in rap, might have seemed like an unlikely pairing on paper, but the duo subverted and pulverized all expectations with their critically lauded Run The Jewels collaborative LP last year. Tapping into the creative synergy they'd discovered in 2012 on Mike's R.A.P. Music album (produced by El-P) and El's Cancer 4 Cure album (featuring Mike), plus subsequent tours together, Run The Jewels cemented their musical alliance with an album of uncompromisingly raw, forward thinking hip-hop. (Limited vinyl copies pressed on HQ-180gm teal vinyl with poster and sticker sheet.)
The Shivas – Know What You Do CD/LP (K Records)
Recorded at K s own Dub Narcotic Studios, The Shivas fourth LP will have you on your feet. With all of the fierce energy and body shakin that The Shivas are known for, You Know What To Do encapsulates that, and much more. Recorded and mixed on tape by Calvin Johnson, it is an apt follow-up to Whiteout.
Sylvie Simmons – Sylvie CD/LP (Light In The Attic)
Debut album by esteemed writer and Leonard Cohen biographer. Like Devendra Banhart says, this is "a gem of an album, fragile and fearless, direct and poetic, timeless and absolutely beautiful. Like Rosalie Sorrels meets the Only Ones." Or Isobel Campbell on a lost desert night, maybe, with only the moon and a ukulele for company.
Sister Sin – Black Lotus CD (Victory)
Sister Sin skillfully inject elements of classic, metal-tinged hard rock in the vein of Mötley Crüe, Accept, and Judas Priest, while remaining contemporary and palatable, akin to bands like The Pretty Reckless and Halestorm.
Slim Twig – A Hound At The Helm [2012] CD/LP (DFA)
Originally released on Calico Corp in 2012, Slim Twig's A Hound At The Helm is repressed (available for the first time on CD). "The string arrangements from Owen Pallett and the St. Kitts string quartet frame the abstractions like guiding angelic wings through the challenges of handling Twig's musical splendor; heavy with dark, jagged edged underpinnings." – Impose
Stalley – Ohio CD (Atlantic)
Debut album from the hip-hop artist. Ohio was produced mainly by Rashad of Elev8tor Music (same producer from Lincoln Way Nights and an Ohio native). Stalley refers to this album's music as "car music" – a soundtrack for one's journey (he wanted to create music that fans could ride out to). The car culture is a very big part of the Midwest/Ohio culture.
Nick Storring – Gardens CD (Scissor Tail)
Storring's work is a peculiar hybrid of styles – orchestral, free improv, plainspoken melodies, and the rough-hewn sounds of psychedelic folk. Gardens was designed as an informal tribute to composer/producer Charles Stepney.
Subs – You Are You CD (Sudden Death)
First domestic release from one of China's most established and popular underground rock bands. Jagged-edged garage punk rippers with new wave, post-punk, psych and electronic influences.
Taylor Swift – 1989 CD (Big Machine)
Swift's fifth album, featuring the single "Shake It Off."
Roger Taylor – Best CD/2xLP (Omnivore)
In addition to founding and wielding the sticks with Queen, as well as collaborating with Robert Plant, Genesis, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Foo Fighters, and Gary Numan among others, Roger Taylor has also had a brilliant and long career as a songwriter and solo artist.
Devin Townsend Project – z² CD/3xCD/6xLP (Inside Out Music)
Devin Townsend – fully 30 records into an astonishing career – has now just raised the stakes in the form of a new double album combining Ziltoid The Omniscient's triumphant return and the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Epicloud! Feasting upon z² is akin to immersing oneself in the arcane creases of the Devin Townsend Project catalog, bludgeoning heaviness and angelic melodies living under the cathedral of Devin's more contemplative solo vision. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions.
Transatlantic – Kaliveoscope 2xCD+DVD/3xCD+2xDVD+Blu-ray (Metal Blade)
Live version of the fourth studio album from the prog rock supergroup featuring Roine Stolt of The Flower Kings, Pete Trewavas of Marillion and Edison's Children, Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater and Neal Morse formerly of Spock's Beard.
The Twilight Sad – Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave CD/LP (FatCat)
Following their stark nod to the heroes of an industrial past, No One Can Ever Know, The Twilight Sad has dug into their own past to form an album that's bracing, biting and as widescreen as anything in their canon. The band, ever ambassadors of Scottish gloom, have harnessed their dark muse once again and drawn on their prowess in the live arena to track a record that proves they can translate the power of their stage show to tape.
Ultimate Painting – Ultimate Painting CD/LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
Jack Cooper (Mazes) and James Hoare (Veronica Falls) are Ultimate Painting. Each member composed five songs each, creating a seamless journey that is both pastoral and cosmopolitan. Intertwining guitar lines that ride off into the sunset, shuffling head-boppers with hook after hook, mellow gothic romances and sunny melodies—they are all found herein. (Limited vinyl edition pressed on black, pink, or mixed color wax.)
Underworld – Dubnobasswithmyheadaman: 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Audio [Reissue/1993] (UMe)
Blu-ray audio version now available. Underworld's third album (though some might call it their debut) showcased the limitless possibilities of electronic music. Although born out of club culture, Dubnobass defied the accepted genres of the time – equally suited to the dancefloor and the after party, it was as immersive an experience quaking through bassbins or headphones. Two decades on from its original release, it's unarguable that the album is one of the most influential British electronic records of all time; a signpost for everything from dance music's easy relationship with main stages at festivals to the radio/globe-conquering EDM phenomenon.
Underworld – Second Toughest In The Infants [Reissue/1996] CD (UMe)
Underworld – Beaucoup Fish [Reissue/1999] CD (UMe)
Underworld – A Hundred Days Off [Reissue/2002] CD (UMe)
Underworld – Oblivion With Bells [Reissue/2007] CD (UMe)
Underworld – Barking [Reissue/2010] CD (UMe)
Remastered reissues now available.
Unearth – Watchers Of The Rule CD (E1)
New album from the New England Metal pioneers. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes bonus tracks.
Various Artists – Lead Kindly Light: Pre-War Music & Photographs From The American South 2xCD+Book (Dust-To-Digital)
A portrait of the rural American South between the dawn of the twentieth century and World War II, Lead Kindly Light brings together two CDs of traditional music from early phonograph records and a fine hardcover book of never-before-published vernacular photography. North Carolina collectors Peter Honig and Sarah Bryan have spent years combing backroads, from deep in the Appalachian mountains to the cotton and tobacco lowlands, in search of the evocative music and images of the pre-war South.
Various Artists – Local Customs: Cavern Sound CD/LP (Numero)
Covers six years lost in the deranging darkness of Independence, Missouri's Pixley limestone mine, where a team of misfit engineers captured the reverberating echoes of Kansas City's rock & roll blasting cap. Taped in the subterranean studio headspace of Cavern between 1967-1973 are previously unissued recordings by Jaded, Larry Sands & The Sound Affair, Sheriff, Mulligan, Sotone Wall, Morningstar, The Montaris, and The Dantes, alongside the most explosive tracks released on KC's Pearce, Rock, & Cave labels by the likes of The Reactions, Burlingtons, Burlington Express, The Classmen, Fraight, American Sound Ltd., Baxter's Chat, 21 Cetnruy Sound Movement, Pretty, Tide, and A.J. Rowe.
Various Artists – Parchman Farm: Photographs & Field Recordings 1947-1959 2xCD+Book (Dust-To-Digital)
In 1947, '48 and '59, renowned folklorist Alan Lomax went behind the barbed wire into the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. Armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck—and, in 1959, a camera—Lomax documented as best an outsider could the stark and savage conditions of the prison farm, where the black inmates labored "from can't to can't," chopping timber, clearing ground, and picking cotton for the state. They sang as they worked, keeping time with axes or hoes, adapting to their condition the slavery-time hollers that sustained their forbears and creating a new body of American song. Theirs was music, as Lomax wrote, that "testified to the love of truth and beauty which is a universal human trait."
Velvet Acid Christ – Subconscious Landscapes CD (Metropolis)
VAC's 16th studio album calls on influences such as Juno Reactor, Massive Attack, and Delerium. Vinyl version due November 25.
Vesania – Deus Ex Machina CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the Polish symphonic black metal act.
Chris Webby – Chemically Imbalanced CD (E1)
On Chemically Imbalanced Webby offers an offbeat, yet impassioned take on a number of serious topics, expressing his frustration with climate change, GMOs, government corruption, war overseas and other hot-button issues. Supa Dups provides a reggae-informed instrumental backdrop for his bars.
The Who – The Who Hits 50! CD/2xCD (Geffen)
The definitive collection of hits by The Who, spanning their entire 50 year career. Available in Single and Double disc editions.
Wizard Rifle – Here In The Deadlights CD (Seventh Rule)
The wrecking crew known collectively as Wizard Rifle continues their sonic weirdness on their Second LP, Here In The Deadlights. Now based in Los Angeles, the band draws on influences from Black Sabbath, Chrome, Lightning Bolt, Sleep, Sonic Youth, and Nomeansno.
World/Inferno Friendship Society – This Packed Funeral CD/LP+MP3 (Alternative Tentacles)
New album from the veteran punk rock cabaret ensemble. Equal parts punk, soul, klezmer and jazz, replete with horns, piano, guitar and a lot of boys and girls with very sharp teeth, the Brooklyn- based group's must-see stage charisma rivals Slim Cessna's Auto Club. The ensemble has over 40 members, including a guy from Dexys Midnight Runners who's in Black 47 now. Only about seven to thirteen show up at any given time due to parole restrictions.
XAXAXA – Sami Mazi Zeni CD/LP (Moonlee)
Hailing from Macedonia, XAXAXA rocks out loud w/a local blend of Hüsker Dü, Dag Nasty, and Rites Of Spring-influenced retro punk rock.
Peggy Young & The Survivors – Lonely In A Crowded Room CD/LP (New West)
Lonely In A Crowded Room finds Pegi Young again showcasing her singing and songwriting talents on a rich and well thought out album. Her fourth offering builds on the acclaim and success of the previous three, the first being released in 2007. Mixed in with her original compositions are three well-selected covers: the Allen Toussaint penned/Irma Thomas classic "Ruler Of My Heart," Spooner Oldham's "Lonely Women Make Good Lovers," and "Don t Let Me Be Lonely" by Jerry Ragovoy.
Yusuf (Cat Stevens) – Tell 'Em I'm Gone CD (Legacy/Sony)
Tell 'Em I'm Gone is the first new Yusuf album to be released since 2009's acclaimed Roadsinger. Recorded all over the world, including Los Angeles, Dubai, Brussels, and London, the album features 10 brand-new studio recordings, including five originals and five carefully-chosen cover songs. Tell 'Em I'm Gone features musical contributions from Richard Thompson, blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite, singer/songwriter Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Tuareg group Tinariwen, and guitarist Matt Sweeney. The album was produced by Yusuf, with Rick Rubin also producing select tracks. Vinyl version due November 24.
John Zorn – Transmigration Of The Magus CD (Tzadik)
Newest release by the Gnostic Trio features Bill Frisell and John Medeski reveling within the magical sonorities of vibraphones, bells and harps.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Peter Murphy – Mr Moonlight Tour: 35 Years of Bauhaus DVD (Nettwerk)
Iconic frontman Peter Murphy spent three months touring North America and Europe with a full band performing Bauhaus material to sold out audiences in 2013. This DVD release captures one of the highlights of this memorable tour, recorded live at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. 90 minutes.
Ryan Adams – Vampires 7" (Pax Americana)
Ryan Adams' Pax Am limited edition 7″ vinyl series continues with "Vampires." Previous installments include "Gimme Something Good", "1984", and "Jacksonville."
Tony Allen – Film Of Life LP (Jazz Village)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. For his tenth album, Tony Allen, the co-creator of Afrobeat, has pulled out all the stops. At his side are French producers The Jazzbastards and fellow world-class musicians including Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, The Good The Bad & The Queen, Blur). With Film Of Life, Allen has produced an album that has the ring of a true self-portrait, offering an overview of his rich and exemplary career that brings together bebop, Afrobeat jazz and psychedelic pop.
Sam Amidon – Lily-O LP (Nonesuch)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Lily-O is a collection of reimagined folk songs by Vermont-born singer/fiddler/banjoist/guitarist Sam Amidon. The album features the innovative jazz guitarist and composer Bill Frisell, along with Amidon's other frequent collaborators, bassist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro. Lily-O's ten songs are mostly traditional folk songs gathered from disparate sources and refashioned in Amidon's signature way.
Apocalypse Meow – Baseball And Alcohol 7" (Dirt Cult)
Another killer melodic punk band from Minneapolis! Features Justin Francis from Off With Their Heads as well as John and Jub from Sundowners playing catchy and clever songs about… Well, just look at the title of the record.
Balmorhea – Balmorhea LP (Western Vinyl)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-more-ay) is a six-piece instrumental group from Austin, TX. Founded by Rob Lowe and Michael Muller in 2006, the band has produced five full-length albums, including Stranger, which was released in October 2012. Inceptually influenced by the band's namesake, a tiny West Texas town of 500 people, Balmorhea's early work reflected motifs of the American Southwest: the folklore of Texas settlers, the emotive proclamations of the mountainous setting, and intimate studies on solitude, nature, and night. Slowly adding more members to the band over the years, including a string section and full percussion, Balmorhea's rich and layered music continues to be simultaneously concise and complex, uniting a collection of ideas, textures, and sounds into one genre-defying landscape.
The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys' Christmas Album [Reissue/1964] LP (Capitol)
Vinyl repress of the mono version of this holiday classic.
Beach Slang – Cheap Thrills On A Dead End Street 7" (Tiny Engines)
Seamless mix of indie, emo, and pop/punk is the perfect punk rock soundtrack.
Bing & Ruth – Tomorrow Was The Golden Age 2xLP (Rvng Intl.)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tomorrow Was The Golden Age is an album length composition by minimalist ensemble Bing & Ruth. Written and conducted by pianist David Moore, the album is a halcyonic journey to a never-ending place, where music waxes, wanes and drifts imperceptibly from silence to grand, glowing sound. With untethered textures inspired by the indeterminate music of Morton Feldman and later torchbearer Gavin Bryars, Tomorrow Was The Golden Age achieves canon-level quality for instrumental music. Within the piece's extended passages, Bing & Ruth wander through gradient fields of color, illuminated by a delicate architecture of slowly developing microtonal harmonies, Steve Reich-ian piano lines and the same analog tape delay that launched both Brian Eno's Apollo and the greatest dub reggae engineers into the unknown.
Björk – Greatest Hits [Reissue/2003] LP (One Little Indian)
Vinyl reissue of Björk's hits album, circa 2003. Compiled via a fan survey conducted on her Web site, Björk's Greatest Hits eschews presenting the tracks in chronological order, making for a jumbled ride through the vocalist's unique, twisted, and frequently brilliant discography.
Bludded Head – Reign In Bludd LP (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Reign In Bludd was recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago in the midst of frontman Nevada Hill's battle with life threatening cancer. "Craggy, iterated riffs, tortured vocals, and inspired minimalisms brought to a modicum of tone and dynamics where every note change and shift in texture feels like part of a backporch storytelling session in a slasher flick, very intimate and immediate but somehow rife with unspoken menace." – Metalbase
Simon Boswell – Stage Fright [OST] LP (Flick)
Original soundtrack to the 1987 horror flick composed by Simon Boswell. Simon had already contributed music and songs to Dario Argento's Phenomena and scored all of Lamberto Bava's Demoni II. When it came to hiring a composer for Stage Fright, Simon came highly recommended. Boswell's classical roots rub shoulders with the distinctive 'thrashy' sound of '70s English punk music, dreamy synth landscapes and the programmed rhythms of the indie dance music that he produced so much of in the '80s. Altogether, this enabled him to compose a score that was very contemporary, hypnotic, scary and, when needed, both beautiful and aggressive.
Bulbous Creation – You Won't Remember Dying [Reissue/1994] LP (Numero)
In 1971, Bulbous Creation poured what little personal surplus they had into a full day of recording at Cavern Studios, tracking enough material for a full length album. The band wouldn't stay together long enough to save up for a custom pressing on Rock. Singer/guitarist Paul Parkinson was deeply individualistic, and left to perform his songs as he thought they should be, as a solo act. He preferred coffee shops to concert halls, and would stick to his craft another 20 years before hanging it up.
Cherry Glazerr – Had Ten Dollaz b/w Nurse Ratched 7" (Suicide Squeeze)
The band's debut cassette was released by California's current kings of DIY power pop and garage rock, Burger Records.
Coffinworm – IV.I.VIII LP (The Flenser)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. Latest release from the notorious Indianapolis-based blackened doom metal band.
Consumer Electronics – Estuary English 2×12"+CD (Dirter Promotions)
Whitehouse fellow Philip Best joins forces with Sarah Froelich and Russell Haswell to make some more intimidating, totally ridiculous music under the Consumer Electronics moniker. Here the noisemaker Best spouts, spits and scowls a lot of spoken word nonsense over abrasive industrial sounds and flat-lining beats — sounds that move at the speed strobe-lights do.
Cult Of Riggonia – Nematode Rodriguez Presents Harry Chanchfield LP (Cloud)
Cult Of Riggonia is a psychedelic collective from Macon, GA. Waves of texture with catchy melodies that rise up from the primordial stew. Hints of Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, Animal Collective, Gong, and African music. Their live show is a full-on sensory experience with video projections, costumes, and stuffed animals. There are whoop and hollers, and they chant together in a language of their own construction. The drummer has a spastic high energy style that relates more to free jazz than ordinary pop music. The things he does with a drumstick with one hand, while working a sampler with the other are truly mind-blowing.
Kevin Drumm – The Back Room LP (Monotype)
Kevin Drumm is a Chicago-based experimental artist and one of the most important musicians in the electroacoustic noise scene. During his career he has worked with great improvisers such as Mats Gustafsson, producer Jim O'Rourke and saxophonist Ken Vandermark. The Back Room is a vinyl reissue of a previously self-released album. Two years ago, Drumm prepared by himself 100 copies of a CDR full of intensive noise.
Famine Year – Ja Kaiken Kruumaa Kuolema 2xLP (If Society)
One of the best crusty punk rock records out this year. Formed in Helsinki, Finland, these guys are perfect for fans of Tragedy, Victims, Feast, and From Ashes Rise.
Fate Vs. Free Willy – Every Human Was A Child 7" (If Society)
Noise punk from Finland that combines noise elements into a very punk way of making music.
Form And Mess – Form And Mess LP (Sick Room)
Form And Mess Ping pongs between the worlds of math rock, free jazz, avant garde, noise, metal, and experimental music. Featuring members of Storm & Stress as well as Many Arms. Mastered by Bob Weston.
Ace Frehley – Space Invader LP (E1)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the from the Kiss guitarist. Includes a cover of Steve Miller Band's "The Joker."
Philip Glass – Candyman [OST] LP (One Way Static)
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Clive Barker's 1992 Candyman composed and performed by Philip Glass.
The Good Graces – Close To The Sun LP (Fort Lowell)
This 11-track offering hinting at a wide variety of influences, ultimately coming off like an indie Lucinda Williams or perhaps a countrified Liz Phair.
Grave Walks – She's A Suicide b/w Teresa, I Love You 7" (Windian)
Grave Walks is the side project of Dan Sartain and Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician). Two tracks of ethereal desert rock bathed in reverb and propelled by a skeletal but hypnotic drum pattern.
Green – Green [Reissue/1986] LP (Lion Productions)
First time vinyl reissue of this vaunted power pop classic. Green was an all-embracing band, with a taste for punk, glam rock and soul – and with the twitchy sort of energy that burbled around in the late-'80s, pre-grunge underground (a little Feelies anyone?). HQ-180gm.
HaiKai No Ku – Ultra High Dimensionality 2xLP+MP3 (Box)
By now, avid fans of doom and psychedelia will be familiar with Bong member Mike Vest's patented hyper-fuzz guitar shrieks and damaged feedback.
JP Harris & The Tough Choices – Home Is Where The Hurt Is LP+MP3 (Cow Island)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Influences include George Jones, Buck Owens and Don Rich, Johnny Paycheck, Motörhead, Del Reeves, Wanda Jackson, Roy Acuff, Tammy Wynette and many others.
Holögrama – Waves LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
Holögrama is the recording project of Fancisco Borja, an electronic musician from Granade, Spain. After self-releasing a slew of online albums, EPs and hand-made CDRs, Waves marks his debut to the vinyl format. Borja performs and records the majority of everything himself, using synths, drum machines and whatever odds and ends he can scrape together to orchestrate Holögrama's sound. Think Rev and Vega, but with a more positive, hopeful vibe tinged with a whisper of melancholy.
Chrissie Hynde – Stockholm [Tour Edition] LP (Caroline)
Limited splattered color vinyl pressing of the Pretenders frontwoman's debut solo album.
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness – Dust LP (Secretly Canadian)
The band's second full-length picks up where 2006's Fear Is On Our Side left off, with ten new tracks of dark, driving, propulsive rock.
Iron Maiden – Piece Of Mind [Reissue/1983] LP (Sanctuary)
Iron Maiden – Flight Of Icarus [Reissue/1983] 7" (Sanctuary)
Iron Maiden – Aces High [Reissue/1984] 7" (Sanctuary)
Iron Maiden – Powerslave [Reissue/1984] LP (Sanctuary)
Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes To Midnight [Reissue/1984] 7" (Sanctuary)
Iron Maiden – Live After Death [Reissue/1985] 2xLP (Sanctuary)
Second batch of HQ-180gm black vinyl reissues of the first eight Iron Maiden albums along with the 7" singles of each respective album.
Iron Maiden – The Complete Albums Collection 1980– 1988 3xLP (Sanctuary)
Special Collector's Box contains the first three Iron Maiden LPs (Iron Maiden, Killers and The Number Of The Beast), each pressed on HQ-180gm black vinyl.
Philip Johnson – Youth In Mourning [Reissue/1982] LP+MP3 (Superior Viaduct)
Philip Johnson, a lost figure in the dark waters of early industrial music, self-released over 25 tapes starting in the late '70s. As a part of the cassette culture in the UK, he produced ethereal soundscapes, damaged electronics and undanceable drum patterns, along with homemade j-cards. For his first and only LP, 1982's Youth In Mourning, Johnson further refined his approach with mesmerizing audio collages and Mark-E-Smith-ian vocals to make one of the most unique documents of the era.
Fern Jones – Glory Road LP (Numero)
Fern Jones voice was all Saturday night, delivered on a Sunday morning. Patsy on Jesus. Elvis without the pelvis. Her only album, released by Dot Records in 1959, captured 36-year-old Sister Fern as she anointed church music with the same untamed energy that younger white Southerners were bringing to their rock 'n' roll.
Kasabian – 48:13 LP (Harvest)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The distinct sound and integrity of Kasabian's fifth studio album defines the very essence of the band, their trademark sound distilled and re-packaged into one incredibly exciting, unique statement of intent. 48:13 is driven by the continuous evolution and musical experimentation of the band through their previous four albums.
Kiesza – Sound Of A Woman LP (Island)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Kiesza's sound is as diverse as her resume. Having served as a reservist in the Royal Canadian Navy and competed in Miss Universe Canada, she played folk ditties before gravitating toward the electronic grooves of her debut album. The release is anchored by the breakout single "Hideaway," a pulsing house number that hearkens back to the genre's early-'90s heyday, with Kiesza providing the sultry vocals.
Kikagaku Moyo – Kikagaku Moyo [2012] LP (Captcha)
Kikagaku Moyo – Mammatus Clouds LP (Captcha)
This Tokyo band started channeling the spirits of the Japanese psychedelic underground in the Summer of 2012, quickly developing the sound of '60s psychedelia to a breathtaking degree. Their self-titled debut exerts an elemental power. Enlivening their sound with sitars, percussive drums, theremins, wind instruments, and ethereal vocals, the band manages to sound powerfully spacious and lazily serene all at once. The highly-sought after Mammatus Clouds EP was originally only released on a limited run of 100 cassettes in early 2014, and is now available on high quality, heavyweight vinyl. Each song builds on a direct, yet otherworldly folk/psych vibe, evolving into a joyous, haunting, far-out and totally colorful tribal sound.
Kylesa – Spiral Shadow [Reissue/2010] LP (Season Of Mist)
Vinyl reissue of the sludge metal band's fifth album.
LVL UP – Hoodwink'd LP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
NYC cult-rockers LVL UP's sophomore LP is an ambitious piece of work, with 15 songs that showcase the band's ability to draw from a diverse set of influences, ranging from '90s indie rock, to '80s new wave and '70s power pop. Pressed on either black or white vinyl.
Barbara Lynn – Here Is Barbara [Reissue/1968] LP (Light In The Attic)
To be a woman singing your own blues and soul songs in 1960s Texas was a rare thing. To do so while brandishing a left-handed Stratocaster and bashing out hard-edged licks was even rarer. HQ-180gm LP housed in an expanded deluxe Stoughton gatefold tip-on jacket.
Mannequin Pu*sy – Gypsy Pervert LP (Tiny Engines)
Shifting seamlessly from grungey punk rock blasts to more textured shoegazey pop, Mannequin Pu*sy show off a diverse palette on their debut album.
Martial Canterel – Gyors, Lassú LP (Dais)
Gyors, Lassú progresses far beyond the cages of "minimal synth" and embraces the noisier qualities of its sound with a renewed urgency, a kind of thickness embodied in multiple layers using only Eurorack, Serge & Roland 100 modular systems at his disposal and flushing out the entire session in one take.
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – Juice LP (Indirecto)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Juice combines the group's signature grooves with a newfound lyrical melodicism over a program of original compositions and four covers including a powerful hymn-like version of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and a dizzying dub deconstruction of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love." Throughout, Juice showcases the quartet's dynamic interplay and razor-sharp improvisational acumen.
Minus The Bear – Planet Of Ice [Reissue/2007] 2xLP+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)
Following the success of Highly Refined Pirates' forward-thinking guitar gymnastics and Menos El Oso's groundbreaking glitch rock, Seattle's premier pop revisionists Minus The Bear dug into some of rock music's most ostentatious years for inspiration for their 2007 album, Planet Of Ice. The title alone conjures images of Yes's Relayer album art, and the influence of the elder statesmen's symphonic scope can be felt throughout Planet Of Ice's lush and intricate arrangements. You can also hear the band channel the ominous instrumental interplay of Lamb-era Genesis on "Dr. L'Ling," the deceptively savvy musicianship and pristine production of Steely Dan on "White Mystery," and the tightrope walk between ethereal space and pre-metal riffage of Pink Floyd on "Lotus."
Modest Mouse – White Lies, Yellow Teeth b/w Buttons To Push The Buttons 7" (Glacial Pace)
Modest Mouse are celebrating the days when they were at their rawest, playing stunningly rough guitar and howling lyrics for lost souls over disorientating dissonance. This Is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About and The Lonesome Crowded West are two early entries in the indie rock canon, and they're being reissued so we can all have the proof. This 7″ features two tracks that failed to make their way onto a record proper: "White Lies, Yellow Teeth," which has been swimming freely through the internet for a while, and "Buttons To Push Buttons".
Modest Mouse – This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About [Reissue/1996] 2xLP+MP3 (Glacial Pace)
Originally released in 1996, This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About is Modest Mouse's debut LP, and made a significant mark for the band. Expanding upon the themes of emotional and geographic isolation present in their early material, the album sees the band mixing slow, brooding numbers with thrashing guitar assaults, and is worth a revisit. HQ-180gm.
Thelonious Monk – Genius Of Modern Music Volume One [Reissue/1947] 10" (Blue Note)
Belonging in every jazz collection, volume one of Thelonious Monk's 1947 10" Genius Of Modern Music features the first sessions Monk recorded as a leader. In 1956 Blue Note reissued this iconic album as a 12" and added previously unissued tracks. It is impossible to overstate the importance of these sessions as they include some of the earliest Monk recordings that would become standards, including "Round Midnight" which is now one of the most popular jazz compositions ever recorded.
Moyamoya – Moyamoya LP (Fort Lowell)
Instrumental math-rock influenced genre-spanning tunes that hold you hostage from the first wavering guitar riff until the final ambient resolve.
Multicult – Variable Impulse LP (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Third LP from this Baltimore-based acid damaged post-punk/noise rock trio. An unrelenting collection of tracks that go straight for the gut with a plowing bass sound.
Nadja – Bliss Torn From Emptiness [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Dirter Promotions)
Double-LP album from the drone/doom band – includes a previously-unreleased live version of "Memory Leak." HQ-180gm heavy splatter color vinyl, housed in a matte laminated gatefold sleeve.
New Medicine –Breaking The Model LP (Imagen)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut from the Nashville, TN melodic hardcore band.
Ocean Blue – Waterworks LP (Korda)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After stints with Sire and Mercury Records in the late '80s through late '90s, Ocean Blue return with their first release in over 10 years. The melodic singing, chimey guitars and lush keyboards the band is known for weave their way through the songs. "It's fresh but also sounds like beautiful, vintage Ocean Blue." — USA Today
Ought – Once More With Feeling 10" (Constellation)
This 10" release brings fans up to date with Ought's two years of songwriting and reveals additional facets of the band, including its ability to play w/ nostalgia & balladry, feverish revival-tent testifying, & improv/abstraction.
Pord – Wild LP (Solar Flare)
Powerful noise rock reminiscent of reference bands such as Dazzling Killmen, Keelhaul, or Craw. A collection of complexly structured compositions with a throbbing and hypnotic undertow.
Dianne Reeves – I Remember [Reissue/1991] LP (Blue Note)
Originally released in 1991, I Remember, by jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves is re-released as part of the overall Blue Note 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign spearheaded by current Blue Note Records President, Don Was.
Horace Silver & Jazz Messengers – Horace Silver & Jazz Messengers [Reissue/1955] (Blue Note)
Originally released in 1955, Horace Silver & Jazz Messengers was a seminal album in the launch of hard bop jazz. Pianist, Horace Silver joined forces with drummer, Art Blakey, and the Jazz Messengers to create this new sound. This was the first album by the Jazz Messengers and it features two jazz classics: "The Preacher" and "Doodlin'."
Frank Sinatra – Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra [Reissue/1957] LP (Capitol)
Frank Sinatra – Moonlight By Sinatra [Reissue/1966] LP (Capitol)
Vinyl reissues now available.
Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – World On Fire LP (Dik Hayd)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A full throttle and in-your-face, a hunk of burning rock & roll that takes no prisoners.
Damo Suzuki & Mugstar – Start From Zero LP (Important)
The shamanic presence of the legendary Damo Suzuki immersed in the full-on, intense sound of Mugstar, as they forge forward through the deep space of Kraut/psych.
Throwing Muses – Purgatory/Paradise 2xLP/Cassette (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)
Released last November on CD with an accompanying book of lyrics/essay/artwork, Purgatory/Paradise won the band some of the best reviews of their illustrious career. Coming on the heels of Kristin Hersh's Rat Girl, a stunning piece of literature, Purgatory/Paradise heralds a creative renaissance from one of the most unique artists in the history of rock. Hersh has always written with a cinematographer's eye, the epitome of show & tell, and P/P is a masterpiece of detail. Sweaty and noir-ish, it unfolds like a film.
Mia Doi Todd – Floresta LP (City Zen)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. In March of 2014, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd spent ten days at the beautiful Estúdio El Rocha in São Paulo, Brazil and recorded an album of her favorite Brazilian songs – some famous, some obscure – all about nature. The album is entitled Floresta, or "Forest" in Portuguese.
Useless Eaters – Bleeding Moon LP (Castle Face)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Seth Sutton has been ripping the shit out of terse Telecaster-sharp riffs and Devo-indebted angular rhythms with Useless Eaters since the dude was 18 years old. A young protégé of Jay Reatard, Sutton's home-fried concoctions are sharp, corrosive mini-masterpieces that drive you to flick cigarettes and push strangers. Psycho-sexual, serrated vocals; thin, acidic guitars; rubbery bass and hot-to-tape traps lather the whole disc.
Dreamcrusher – Suicide Deluxe (Hausu Mountain)
Originally issued as a digital-only release in 2013, Luwayne Glass' full-length under the Dreamcrusher moniker makes its way to the physical world for the first time. Nihilist queer revolt musik that shouts down, by way of one throbbing bass frum and an infinite deluge of static. Bashing through the mutant techno idiom from multiple points of attack, boosting the noise factor beyond any conception of sanity while honing compositions into tightly structured corruptions of the pop form.
Mondo Lava – Parrot Head Cartridge (Hausu Mountain)
This mysterious CA-based duo first surfaced in the underground circuit on one side of a split with Eternal Tapestry in 2012. The Mondo boys' unique strain of tropicalia, drone, and video game music influenced freeform loop hypnosis dominates their massive full length release, presented as a stream-of-consciousness tape-hiss manifesto somewhere between a home-dubbed mixtape for a loved one and a particularly illuminating hallucinogenic experience.
Tiger Village – V (Hausu Mountain)
Orbiting the noise scene, co-defining an independent strain of tonal exploration and mind-warping disfiguration of form alongside fellow Ohioans like Moth Cock and Witchbeam, Tiger Village presents a nuanced approach to synth arrangement that proves to be just as meticulous as it is mangled. Compositions that dart through progressively complex passages animated by iridescent leads and structural feints that shatter our expectations of any logical resolution.


Discovery of CRL's deep and diverse collections is a key to student and faculty success. Although CRL makes 1.4 million records available through its catalog, in OCLC's Worldcat, through all of the major discovery layers, and as files to load in your local catalog, getting the records in front of patrons can still be a challenge.
Join CRL's first webinar devoted to discovery, with information and tips on optimizing library catalogs and discovery services for patron success. CRL Director of Technical Services, Amy Wood, will give a brief overview of CRL collections, outline the major ways of using CRL records to gain access to the collection, providing specific examples of what works and what doesn't. The session will encourage discussion and sharing of expertise, anticipating possible future sessions exploring specific local implementation challenges.


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NYC Architecture
NYC Starchitecture
Tribeca's 56 Leonard reveals its amenities, designed by Herzog & de Meuron
Raw concrete everywhere!
By Amy Plitt@plitter Apr 6, 2017, 4:21pm EDT
Photos by Alexander Severin
Herzog & de Meuron's blocky tower at 56 Leonard Street has been open to residents for some time now, allowing real estate gawkers (e.g., us) the privilege of peeking inside the building's expansive apartments. But its amenities, also designed by the Swiss architects, have remained off limits—until now, that is.
Dezeen has the scoop on what the 17,000-square-foot amenity space entails, and there are the usual perks found in high-end condos: a children's playroom, a fitness center with a yoga studio, a private dining room, and the like.
But because this is an architect-designed space, there are also some more unusual elements—for one, a sculptural spiral staircase (made of raw concrete, a dominant material throughout the dual-level area) that connects the ninth and tenth floors, and adds a more industrial feel than we typically see in these sorts of spaces.
There's also a 75-foot pool with an adjacent sun deck that takes advantage of the building's views; a steam room, kitted out in warm wood and cool steel; and an indoor/outdoor theater that's lined with plush leather seating. That industrial vibe extends to that room, too—the ceiling is made of dark mesh.
Closings at the tall Tribeca tower began earlier this year, and many of its pricey apartments have already re-appeared as equally pricey rentals—even sculptor Anish Kapoor, who will have a piece at the building's ground floor level, picked up a unit.
Herzog & de Meuron's interiors for 56 Leonard "Jenga" tower revealed [Dezeen]
All 56 Leonard coverage [Curbed]
56 Leonard St
56 Leonard Street, Manhattan, NY 10013
Next Up In NYC Architecture
How NYC architects are 3D printing protective gear to help local hospitals
New York City halts design work on public projects during coronavirus pandemic
New York City has lost two of its greatest walkers
Stoop dreams
Rafael Viñoly will revamp former National Academy of Design building into art gallery
Quirky Manhattan Beach contemporary with architectural pedigree seeks $4.925M

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


An All Electronic Tolling (AET) gantry on the Mass Pike in Newton.
In the year and a half since Massachusetts went to all-electronic tolling, some 1.3 million cars have gotten a free ride because the new system couldn't read their license plates.
The new system fails to read about 2 percent of license plates, which is a much lower rate of missed tolls than other highways, and well below the losses Massachusetts officials originally expected when they rolled out electronic tolling in October 2016; at the time they forecast problems capturing about 5 to 7 percent of license plate images.
About 85,000 trips a month on the Massachusetts Turnpike, Tobin Bridge, and harbor tunnels are written off because of poor license plate images. With the average toll at $1.47, that amounts to about $2 million in lost revenue through February 2018, the most recent data provided by the state.
The electronic system records about 21.5 million toll trips on average every month, with most of those paid through an EZ Pass transponder linked to a credit card or bank account. About 4 million of those each month do not have transponders. Instead, the state reads their license plates by video camera, then bills the owners by mail.
In a small percent of cases, the license plate reader cannot get a good image because the cameras are poorly positioned, for example, or plates have faded or are blocked by a bike rack.
Officials said they are trying to lower the rate of uncollected tolls by using other tactics to find addresses, such as identifying company logos on the sides of commercial vehicles. The broadest strategy is to continue pushing drivers to use EZ Passes, which now account for almost 87 percent of all toll payments.
Governments around the world have struggled with poor license plate images as they transition to pay-by-plate systems, said Bill Cramer, spokesman for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, a trade group that includes public agencies and private companies.
In Massachusetts, officials said a small number of the uncollected tolls are due to drivers intentionally covering their plates.
The state's transportation department says the switch to electronic tolling has lived up to another billing: $5 million in savings every year by no longer having to maintain toll plazas. Moreover, overall toll collection, at around $30 million a month, is roughly on par with revenues under the old system.
Meanwhile, out-of-state drivers owe about $7.2 million. The state has agreements with New Hampshire, and Maine, where motorists there must pay outstanding Massachusetts tolls to renew a registration, and is close to a similar deal with New York, Collins said. But that's just a handful of states, and officials have said they plan to hire a debt collector to aggressively chase unpaid tolls from other jurisdictions.
Other tolls go uncollected because the state cannot match a license plate with an address. Collins said the state regularly follows up with motor vehicle departments to find addresses and may ultimately be able to bill those drivers, but it's less certain if these tolls will be collected.
Chris Dempsey, director of the nonprofit group Transportation for Massachusetts, noted drivers have benefited from the new system because all-electronic tolling has eliminated backups at former toll booth sites.


One of the world's largest jewellery and watch groups has made leaps forward to fostering an environment of equality within its business.
The chief executive of Signet, which owns UK jewellery retailers H Samuel and Ernest Jones, is looking to promote an inclusive culture within its workforce after being accused of discrimination.
The company's equality drive forms a key part of its recently revealed a three-pillar plan, dubbed 'The Path to Brilliance'. The plan was introduced in a bid to reinvigorate the group and prepare it for a future with fewer, higher quality, stores operating in tight alignment with an improved digital presence.
Chief executive officer Virginia Drosos, who joined Signet in August last year, told Yahoo Finance that a key part of Signet's mission to transform the company's culture is creating an inclusive workforce.
"I have a track record throughout my career of building diverse teams and highly inclusive culture, so it's very important to me that Signet lead in this area," the chief exec told the publication.
When the gender pay gap of companies with more than 250 employees was revealed last month, Signet posted a gender pay gap of 20.4%, just above the national average but below the average of the major retail jeweller groups tracked by Professional Jeweller.
A statement accompanying the report of Signet's data co-signed by UK executive director Emma Hayward and UK finance director Shaun Carney echoes the CEO's claim that all employees doing the same job are paid equally.
"We believe that the pay gap is the result of the make-up of our workforce. We are confident that men and women are paid on equal terms for doing the same or similar jobs across the business," the statement revealed, alongside a pledge to make the pay gap smaller.
During the interview with Yahoo Finance, Drosos revealed company-wide 75% of Signet's employees are women and 68% of the field leadership positions are filled by females.
"I think women need to be put in crucible roles where they can really test their skills and learn as they go so that they can rise to those higher level positions," shared Drosos.
"Diverse teams make better decisions. They see each other's blindspots. I think it's true on working teams just as much as it is on boards. So, first and foremost, we want to get great executives on our board that have tremendous experience.


No two things signify luxury better than bespoke and exotic skins. Hunting Season just launched its e-commerce site and offers both in the way of ultra-luxe bags, that exist just a click or two away.
Founded by Danielle Corona, the brand and its new site cater to the whims of girls who know what they want in a bag. If you happen to love a particular shade of python and it's not currently available in the Cognac Drawstring Sac, just simply ask — same goes for Hunting Season's range of other shapes including weekenders, hobos and clutches (available for around $595-1995 and up). Hunting just got a lot easier.


Katalor have steel cnc flame gas cutting suppliers and manufacturer ,if you need steel cnc flame gas cutting price and specification ,please contact us.
Flame cutting (oxy fuel cutting or oxy acetylene cutting), as it's name, with oxy fuel gas burning through a cutting torch, makes a flame and with the flame heat to cut steels. It is an oldest way in hot steel cutting activities.
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CNC Flame Cutting. CNC Flame Cutting (Oxy Fuel) uses a combination of liquid oxygen and a cutting gas. The torch moves across the plate to burn parts of specified shapes and sizes to produce a crisp, clean cut.
Extensive line of CNC flame cutting machines. At SFI-Gray, we're experts in precision flame cutting carbon and alloy steel plate. After all, we've been cutting quality parts for customers since 1974. We service a variety of industries with a focus on oil and gas, heavy equipment and industrial applications.
SteelTailor flame and plasma cutting machine including plasma cutting machine,flame cutting machine,CNC plasma cutting machine,plasma cutting table,CNC plasma cutter and others ... matching with different torches. 6. Torch holder made of steel, very good durability. 7. With simple design, cutting mode switching very easy.
The process often called Flame Cutting is known by many names, such as Oxy Acetylene Cutting, Oxy Fuel Gas Cutting, Oxygen Burning, Steel Burning and other terms too numerous to mention. The process is now about 111-112 years old as it was patented in 1901 by Thomas Fletcher.
Oxyfuel flame cutting is the most economical process for the cutting of mild and low alloy steel, even with weld preparations. ... Profiling machines use a system know as CNC (computer numerically controlled) to control the cutting torch.


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The Game is Unforgiving: Kobe Bryant
By Fred Silva@DartFred Jan 13, 2010, 11:14am CST
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I was sitting a few rows behind the Lakers' bench when Kobe caught the ball right in front of me with Manu defending early in the second quarter. In case you are unaware, Kobe is very good. I constantly found myself in awe of how he physically punished his defender. He always begins his move by slamming his body into the defender as he backs them down. Simply physical punishment. As if he is saying, 'I am stronger and better than you are' with each powerful blow. This specific possession, he hit Manu twice, faked left, then right, spun baseline and sank a bank shot fading away over Manu's outstretched arms. I just shook my head in disbelief. There was absolutely nothing Manu could have done differently to prevent that outcome.
A Lakers' fan sitting directly behind me sincerely stated, "Looks like it's going to be one of those nights." I could not help but agree. At this point in the game, the Spurs were outplaying the Lakers, but Kobe was keeping them close. It felt like one of those games where the Spurs would lead for 46 minutes, only to have Kobe take over the last 2 and give his team a chance to win it in the end.
But as Kobe landed, I saw a grimace of pain in his face. He somewhat struggled down the court as he massaged his lower back. I knew it, that move was too good. Not too good for Kobe five years ago, but too good for a 31 year old man with over 1,000 games on his NBA odometer. I told my father, who was sitting next to me, "Did you see that? Bryant tweaked something. He's hurting."
The rest of the second quarter, Kobe did not drive. Later, he went to the locker room so the trainer could work on his back. In the third, he looked in pain. At the end of the third, Phil Jackson called a timeout. Kobe trotted over to the bench, attempted to sit down, but could not. That was the last time I saw Kobe Bryant. He was done for the night.
Now, do not get me wrong. The Spurs played very well last night and I think they could have beat any team. When the Spurs play solid defensively and are hitting their outside shots, there's not much the opposition can do. But Kobe's injury definitely made the task easier on our Spurs.
I must admit, I felt bad for the Lakers and for Kobe. As a Spurs fan, I know how devastating injuries can be to a team's season; especially a reoccurring injury like one to the lower back or to an index finger that never properly healed. Last season, we lived that same reality with Manu. The Spurs were 32-12 when Manu played last season, 23-20 when he sat. He never was fully healthy and we witnessed an injured Spurs team limp into the playoffs and lose in the first round.
The game is unforgiving. To win it all, many things have to go your way; one of the most important is avoiding the injury bug. Basically, it's the organization and coach's job to assemble a team and put it in the best position possible to win it all. But once that is done, the rest is up to fate. So watching Kobe struggle to move and finally not even being able to sit-down, hit somewhat close to home for me. Let's hope that fate is on our side this year, (and not on theirs.)


Getting in touch with the team at Great Lakes Ford of Muskegon, MI is simple. Whether you have questions about a Ford model in our new inventory or your current vehicle is in need of an auto maintenance appointment, our dealership is ready to serve you. Our friendly team members are dedicated to providing a positive car buying experience to each one of our customers at every step of the process.
If you have any questions for our team of experts, call us at (888) 538-8577 or fill out the inquiry form below. Get easy-to-follow directions to our West Michigan Ford dealership using our online map.


Amy currently resides in Missouri where she grew up. Upon graduation, Amy began what is affectionately known as "the migration West", attending Denver Art Institute for certification as a professional picture framer and then on to THE University of Washington to study recreation management. The combination seemed to be a perfect fit for the dream job with the State of Washington in Parks and Recreation. The first position was as an intern and were spent marking new parks, lining ball fields, counting fish on the salmon runs up the fish ladders it was a spectacular setting and the start of things to come. She often would film the outings on the old VHS videos and send home to her family claiming that she was living the life of National Geographic! There were adventures off logging roads, mountain lakes and she first experienced wild cut throat on a random marking trip for DNR. During the time working for Washington State, she gained experience in writing budgets, grants, and programming for special use areas plus certified by the state in Emergency Management Training and as a first responder.
Anticipating budget changes, Amy went to the private side of the industry known as Golf Course Management in the state of Oregon and worked for American Golf for the next several years as a tennis professional and recreational programmer. The job became a mix of several entities but primary focus was for the programming, moving golf courses from a predominately male sport to Clubs that could decrease attrition with family memberships and an environment that included camps, lessons and amenities. There were multiple moves, which allowed time on some of the most beautiful courses on the West Coast. In 2002, Amy made a move as a contract programmer to the Midwest and accepted a position with Old Kinderhook Golf Course at The Lake of the Ozarks, from there to Winghaven CC and then on to be the General Manager of Creve Coeur Racquet Club. Missing the golf course setting, Amy accepted a position of the Director of Sales for Forest Park Golf Course in St. Louis where she has been for the past 11 years overseeing an annual budget for non golf sales over 1M.
While most may be in awe at the scenery of each location, the time did not involve fly fishing. Counting fish that do not know how to use a man made fish ladder, yes, fishing for them, no. It was mostly a time factor and not until returning to St Louis that the hobby was able to take hold. Growing up in Missouri, her family was always near water but 'On the Fly" was someone of a reinvention and connection between Amy and her father. Her dad had always fly fished. A few years ago, at her request, he passed on his retired vise and taught her to tie and cast with some parking lot lessons. According to her, her dad is the original fish whisperer. Her dad's dedication to the environment, active participant in IFFF, TU and the Missouri Dept of Conservation was just passed on through being brought up in that atmosphere, for which she is extremely grateful. Amy's dad, their family have a mark on Missouri Conservation history as her dad was the last winning artist in 1995 of the Missouri Trout stamp before the requirement to possess the actual trout stamp was retired. Amy has the #1 print in the collection. Thankfully, according to her – it also helped open a few doors with the new adventure of Fly Fishing. The local fly shops knew her dad so she must have rated "ok" and was easily accepted into the sport.
When her youngest child was learning to drive, Amy would be dropped off stream side while the driving lessons began. Typically, they would return 5-6 hours later full of new driver intelligence! It helped hone the skills, of both fisher and driver! Amy is the proud mother of three, Kyle, the eldest, attended University of Missouri with a BA in Hospitality Management and is a manager at The Hyatt. Curtis, attends Mississippi State on an extended academic scholarship for architecture. He is currently on assignment in Alabama for 14 months, then to Jackson where upon completion, will return to MSU to graduate. Her youngest and only daughter, Taylor is a senior in high school and earning a dual major for fire fighting and EMT while attending her primary High School. Taylor's ambition is to join the Army in May as a Medic.
The introduction to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing came as somewhat of a fluke as an introduction from a client at Forest Park. His enthusiasm and conviction was contagious so after the meeting, she went back to her desk and googled PHWFF. She showed up at the VAMC meeting where the first evening had an opportunity to tie with a younger Veteran. The experience was life changing. To this day, Amy can barely tell the story without tears welling up at the young man's appreciation that some stranger came in and sat to talk fishing, tie flies and just be accepting of his condition. The experience was literally and physically changing. Since that time, Amy has gone on to become an advocate for Veterans, the PHWFF Mission and Program along with bringing in valuable donations though coordinating various fundraising efforts.
Amy looks forward to joining the program as The Heartland Regional Coordinator. Her drive for providing clear communication plus history with budgets, fundraising and fondness of fishing hope to be her primary focus so that the Program Leads, Participants and Volunteers are given the ultimate experience with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
On a side note, Amy was injured in an accident following her time in Colorado. She underwent 7 shoulder surgeries and was the recipient of the first shoulder fusion done in the country. The surgery was preformed at The University of Washington. The shoulder fusion left her with less than 3% range of motion on her left shoulder yet, despite the injury, she has gone on to adapt. Her experience brings an empathy to the Disabled Veterans in the program and she is teaching herself to use all of the adaptive equipment to be a better teacher.


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Dodgers News: Trio Of Catchers React To Proposed Rule Change
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With an eye on preventing serious injury like San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey suffered in 2011, Major League Baseball's Playing Rules Committee approved a resolution over winter to ban collisions at home plate and disallow catchers from blocking the plate. Though expected to be passed, the rule has yet to be voted on and the proposed change goes against what many catchers have learned and been taught.
According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange Count Register, A.J. Ellis is among those who isn't thrilled at the prospect of not being allowed to block the plate:
I appreciate that Major League Baseball is taking steps to make the game safer for players at my position. At the same time, I don't like the fact that they're taking away a potentially game-changing play for players at my position.
Fourth-year catcher Drew Butera, the son of former catcher Sal Butera, echoed a similar sentiment to Plunkett:
I understand they're trying to protect us from injuries. … But I don't think you'll get too many catchers say they don't want to protect the plate.
Tim Federowicz told Plunkett he believes standing by and allowing a run to score could determine the outcome of a game:
I don't like it. I don't like it at all, Tim Federowicz said of the rule banning home-plate collisions that is expected to go into effect this season. I mean, it's a run. That could be the difference in winning or losing.
Home-plate collisions certainly come with an elevated risk of injury, but at the same time, a balance should be reached between achieving safety and granting a clear advantage to baserunners. With the rule proposal, MLB finds itself in a similar, precarious position the NFL was once in — protecting their players without significantly changing the integrity of the game.
ICYMI: Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak had this to say to Dodgers owner Magic Johnson
Pingback:Dodgers News And Rumors: Either Line Drive Hits Koufax On The Head | Dodgers Nation


The United States and Japan are now partners in an ever-evolving geopolitical puzzle of conflicting interests, millennia-old rivalries, power balances, and more. How will Japan and the U.S. navigate the Asia-Pacific's dramatic trajectory? Join the World Affairs Council and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania for an exploration of Japan's 21st century resurgence with its former top diplomat in the United States.