29.03.09
Posted in Uncategorized, new releases at 10:30 am by derry
Albums of the Week : PJ Harvey & John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By (island)
Fever Ray – Fever Ray (rabid records)
Dan Deacon – Bromst (carpark)
The Leisure Society – The Sleeper (wilkommen)
Tim Hecker – An Imaginary Country (kranky)
Single of the Week : Dinosaur Pile-Up – Traynor (friends vs records)
Thank God it’s pay day this week! This is one of those weeks that makes us feel mighty privileged to work in music – there’s so much mind blowing material released this week that we had to give up stressing over what to make album of the week & instead pick a record 5 albums of the week! Each & every one of them is worthy of the top spot & frankly, we could easily have had another 5. As you will no doubt have seen all over the press over the past month, the long awaited 2nd collaboration between PJ Harvey & John Parish is a brilliant affair that draws out the many fabulous personas of the dark lady & it lives up to all our expectations – buy it here & you’ll get a limited edition free screen print, available at indies only……….my personal highlight this week (& one I’ve been raving about for a while) is the debut from The Knife’s Karin Drejer under her Fever Ray moniker – it’s an astonishing, brooding piece of magic that the Guardian rightly gave a 5/5 review & referred to as “triumphant” – be prepared to fall under this album’s spell! (if you get in quick you’ll get a free remix disc with this too)………the bonkers electronic genius that is Dan Deacon has returned with an album that even manages to surpass ‘Spiderman of the Rings’ taking us on a euphoric rich, dense noisy pop trip that you won’t want to come down from – it comes with a free poster while they last……….if you were lucky enough to catch The Leisure Society at this week’s instore (thank you to everyone who came down & made this a special event for us & a huge thanks to the band too), then you’ll already be aware of how beautiful & insanely catchy this album is – impossibly irresistible!……….& yes, although by now it may seem a bit predictable of us to chose a Kranky release as an album of the week, the new release from Tim Hecker is simply too incredible to be ignored, so he has to be in the top picks for this immense piece of subdued, lush soundscaping…..if you like this you should also check out the other great release on Kranky this week from Pan American (aka Mark Nelson of Labradford)………..other mighty fine albums that would have featured as an album of the week in any other week include the stunning expansive meditation from Lotus Plaza (aka Lockett Pundt – guitarist from Deerhunter) – fans of Atlas Sound & Panda Bear projects should definitely check this one out……….we have limited import copies of the 2nd album from Wavves (cunningly entitled Wavvves with 3 v’s!) so if you haven’t been seduced by the lo-fi bedroom punk pop of 22 year old Nathan Williams, now’s your chance to find out what it’s all about……….Matteah Baim (previously of Metallic Falcons) has delivered her most lush & beautiful recording yet with her 2nd solo album which features the inimitable A.A.Lowe (aka Lichens)……..the esteemed Touch label puts out the captivating new album from gifted cellist Hildur Gudnadottir – fans of Fennesz or Brighton’s own Bela Emerson should check this one out……..other new albums released in this massive week come from The Whitest Boy Alive, Peter Bjorn & John, Wolves In The Throneroom, Gomez, Life On Earth, Official Secrets Act, Iain Archer, Goldie Lookin Chain, Kromestar, Bronnt Industries Kapital, Nate James & many more. There are live albums from Leonard Cohen (from his mammoth O2 performance last year) & Stevie Nicks & also this is an insanely busy week for reissues including the brilliant 4cd Evolution of Dub collection, 4 Bob Dylan albums carefully remastered & repackaged (including The Basement Tapes), 3 Camel albums remastered & expanded, 3 Kevin Ayers reissues, a D.A.F. best of, the massive 12 cd Magma box set is now out, there are 5 album collections from Santana & Mott the Hoople & Black Sabbath’s classic ‘Paranoid’ gets the deluxe edition treatment. Phew! That’s only a taster of this week but it should certainly give you a flavour of why this week has got us so excited. To see a complete listing of all the new releases, click on the link at the top. If that’s not enough for you, have a peek at the forthcoming list to see just how many ace albums are coming in over the next few weeks…………
Other news :
We have now started stocking releases on the Ghostbox label so that means you can finally get the Belbury Poly album that has been so favourably reviewed everywhere lately (see the new releases listing for further info on this one) – fans of Trunk releases & BBC Radiophonic Workshop output should like this label.
We have a limited quantity of the latest Animal Collective album at £6.99 so grab it while you can – a bargain price for a truly awesome album!
For the full list of new releases click on this link: resident new releases march 30th 2009
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22.03.09
Posted in new releases at 11:54 am by derry
Album of the Week : Staff Benda Bilili – Tres Tres Fort (Crammed)
Single of the Week : Sleepy Sun : New Age limited 10″ (ATP)
This Week’s Instore : Leisure Society – Wednesday 25th March @ 6pm – No ticket required but this could well be a busy one as the part local band are getting incredible press across the board including a 4/5 review in Mojo & a rave review in the Observer Music Monthly. We will have advance copies of the album available at the instore & the 1st few people to buy the album then will be rewarded for their support with a free Wilkommen Collective cd featuring some of their forthcoming releases.
Mammoth listing this week as we’ve been a bit snowed under with releases, so we’ll attempt to highlight some of our picks for you here : first up is the Staff Benda Bilili album – don’t be put off by their worthy sounding back story – this is a top quality, brilliantly uplifting release from the Congo that has been hailed as an “instant classic” by the Telegraph & it’s easy to hear why…….Portland’s finest indie-rockers The Decemberists return with a rock opera (!!) that showcases some of Colin Meloy’s finest, most colourful songwriting & sees the band on fine form, aided by members of My Morning Jacket, My Brightest Diamond, Lavender Diamond as well as Robin Hitchcock…….the Japanese post-metal behemoth Mono (who wowed everyone at Digital this week) release their absolutely massive 5th album, backed by the largest chamber orchestra the band has ever enlisted, to give the album an even more epic, cinematic quality……….Doom (formerly known as MF Doom) has taken 4 years to bring us his new album but it’s finally here & it’s been well worth the wait, as it features some of his brightest & most brilliant rhyme skills & production ever………..Norwegian lords of quirky dance Royksopp are back with their 3rd album of catchy, bleepy but melodic dance………there’s a somewhat mythical release from Yo La Tengo who are going under the name of Condo Fucks for this album of scuzzy, garagey covers of 60’s & 70’s tracks from the likes of Small Faces, The Troggs, Beach Boys, Richard Hell & more……..Lizzie Bougatsos from Gang Gang Dance releases the first album from her side project I.U.D. – it’s a vinyl only release & an awesome visceral experience of propulsive drumming & sampling…….their are 2 very special releases from the Raster_Noton label this week – one from SND & the other from Pixel – fans of the label will know what to expect & definitely won’t be disappointed……….if you’re missing a Soulwax fix then check out the new album from WhoMadeWho, as this Danish trio should hit the spot with their bright, poppy blend of disco, techno, rock & psychedelia & if you get in quick, you can also pick up their much underrated debut ‘Out The Door’ for a bargain £3.99……Warp’s enfant terrible Clark returns with a limited ep on cd & 12″ – another dirty, gritty slice of electronic music……..there’s also a new ep from shop fave’s Abe Vigoda which reveals a darker, sparser, more textured sound to their tropical punk sound…….Julian Cope’s Brain Donor project release their mighty 4th album of no wave riffs & hoary proto-metal assaults…….if you want a slice of rowdy rancorous but also slide-guitar driven & melodic blues then check out the fab album from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band……..Sweden’s Love Is All finally get around to releasing their 2nd album properly & it’s a great reminder of why we fell in love with this band 3 years ago – the 1st few people to purchase the album will receive a free 7″ too – bargain!…….the 1st set of Genesis remastered reissues are finally released, so you can revel in 1970s prog to your heart’s content……….Radiohead’s 1st 3 masterpieces have also received the remastering treatment & can all now be purchased with a bonus dvd & extra content……..Pete Fowler has co-ordinated an ace, fun-filled musical journey of esoteric treats called A Psychedelic Guide To Monsterism Island………all this & new albums from Grammatics, The Rakes, Luke Vibert, Kenny Dope & Keb Darge, Pet Shop Boys, 1990s, Delta Spirit, Swan Lake, The Balky Mule, Chris Cornell, Mastadon, Le Remo Amps, Mongrel, Kinny, Ayo, Amy Speace & many many more. Check out the complete listing by clicking the link below.
resident new releases march 23rd 2009
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Posted in new releases at 12:50 pm by derry
Album of the Week : Shogun Kunitoki – Vinonaamakasio (Fonal)
Single of the Week : Bear Hands – What A Drag (Too Pure)
This Week’s Event : Us! Residents Djing at the Fortune of War (on the seafront, pretty much straight down from the Odeon) The 2nd night of our new monthly Resident-cy is on Thursday 19th March, 8pm til closing. A whole array of tunes from whoever of us aren’t too drunk to spin some records & probably some from those of us that are!
Howdy Readers!
Yummy musical treats a plenty this week, starting with the brand new album from Bonnie “Prince” Billy whose lushly layered 9th album (under this moniker) sees him go all americana / country on us – get yours here & you’ll receive a free limited screen print & while you’re at it, you might want to pick up your ticket for the show that’s just been announced at St.George’s Church on 21st April (as you’d expect, they’re already flying out)……….Atlanta’s garageniks Black Lips return spitting & spewing, with a surprisingly lo-fi, murky effort that ditches the sheen of their breakthough ‘Good Bad Not Evil’ & reveals 14 ace tracks of unadorned rock ‘n’ roll………the infamous ex-Libertine/Babyshambles frontman Peter Doherty (now using his full court-room name) releases his debut solo album with some very generous guitar-work on most of the songs from Graham Coxon & vocal contributions from Dot Allison to boot………Marianne Faithfull has brilliantly reinterpreted a set of songs from the likes of Billie Holiday & The Decemberists, with the aid of some rather esteemed guests including Nick Cave, Antony Hegarty, Jarvis Cocker, Keith Richards & Rufus Wainwright……..the awesome jerky psych / math rockers NLF3 bring us a top notch release that fans of Battles, Pivot or Acoustic Ladyland ought to check out…..Andy Cabic releases his 4th full length Vetiver album – a set of harmony driven songs that hark back to the pastoral sounds of Buffalo Springfield & the likes of………..there’s another mighty release from Soul Jazz records – 100% Dynamite NYC focuses on New York’s finest dancehall reggae & hip hop sounds…….the 2nd part of the Complete Motown Singles Volume 11 boxset is released to complete the massive year that was 1971………the 6th album from gritty hip hoppers Jedi Mind Tricks sees the return of core member Jus Allah………the 2nd full length from Flower Corsano Duo conjures up an electrifying set of melodic noise……….fans of Machinefabriek & Fennesz should check out the ultra limited cd from Wouter Van Veldhoven which comes in it’s own tweed jacket!……..equally limited & lovingly packaged, the new EP from Rothko captures his expansive & explosive live set to great effect……..Sam & The Plants’ debut sounds like the freaky love child of Delia Derbyshire & Syd Barrett – we love it!………the brilliantly bonkers Fonal label deliver the 2nd album from the Finland’s Shogun Kunitoki – a wonderfully seething, throbbing, psychedelic stew……….there’s an album of un-hurried, intense beauty from The Slow Life that sounds like a gorgeous meeting of Talk Talk & Low……….all this & new albums from Hatcham Social, Strange Boys, Navvy, Filthy Dukes, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Durrty Goodz, Melody Gardot, John Scofield & more & there’s a heap of singles including limited releases from Ratatat, Hockey, The Thermals (comes with a download code for the entire album!), Flashguns, Metric, Clipd Beaks, Bear Hands, Thomas Function & Friendly Fires. To see the complete list of this weeks new releases, click on the link.
resident new releases 16th march 2009
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07.03.09
Posted in new releases at 11:30 am by derry
Albums of the Week : Micachu – Jewellery (Rough Trade) & DM Stith – Heavy Ghost (Asthmatic Kitty)
Single of the Week : The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin (End Of The Road Records)
Gig of the Week : Mary Hampton @ The Albert, Sunday 15th March
This Week’s Instore : The Milk & Honey Band, ‘Dog Eared Moonlight’ album launch - Fri 13th @ 6pm www.themilkandhoneyband.co.uk/gigs
This Week’s Playback : Bonnie ‘Prince Billy’s ‘Beware’ – Weds 11th @ 6.30pm. There will be free drinks for anyone who comes to check out what Will Oldham’s new offering sounds like & if you preorder the album, you willl receive a free limited edition screen print, will be entered into a draw to win 1 of only 10 vinyl test pressings & could possibly win a 12×12 canvas of the artwork (if Domino get round to printing them!).
As for the rest of this week’s musical news, I’m going to have to type really fast as we’re off to Berlin for one of those Citybreak things we’ve been reading grown ups are meant to do with their weekends.So, here goes….this week we are completely spoilt for releases & 2 of our favourite albums for ages have dropped in the same week. We couldn’t be forced to chose between them so we’ve picked them both for the top spot : Firstly, we’ve been raving about the fabulous Micachu for a while now but her debut album defied even our expectations – it’s a brilliantly inventive, album of wonky pop that we simply can’t get enough of & secondly, there’s the startlingly original debut from Brooklyn’s DM Stith whose extraordinary album stuns the senses & deserves to become a word of mouth success (Natasha Khan tipped us of about this one a while back & it seems she was spot on)………..the energetic dissonance / consonance balance of Mi Ami’s tropical all-night dance party proves impossible to resist……….Kompakt’s Brazilian wonderboy Gui Boratto delivers another fine album that skips between lush ambience & driving techno……Absentee’s frontman Dan Michaelson has come up with an absolute gem of an album which comes as quite a surprise to me as I’ve never been a fan of his band’s work……..the 5th album from Sweden’s prolific Loney Dear is likely to appeal to anyone who’s been enjoying Andrew Bird’s recent output……..there are 3 new fabulous compilations in the African Pearls series – Mali 70, Guinee 70 & Senegal 70 are all loaded with some real gems…..there’s a stack of Blue Note reissues which have all had the Rudy Van Gelder remastering treatment………ECM have finally overcome their distribution problems & so the Arvo Part, Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack Dejohnette, Michael Mantler & Enrico Rava albums all get released this week………..the playful wide-eyed indie popsters The Boy Least Likely To have wrestled their sophmore album back from their old label & manage to put it out themselves at last…………we’ve got a limited number of the hotly tipped Joy Formidable’s self released debut…..this week’s instore guests, Brighton’s The Milk & Honey Band have their impressive 2nd album released on Andy Partridge’s (XTC) Ape label…………Swedish duo The Deer Tracks make an album of gorgeous dreamy electronics that’s likely to appeal to fans of Mum or Amiina………all this & great new release from Arbouretum, Faust, Polly Scattergood, Reigns, Julie Doiron, JJ Cale, Joe Gideon & The Shark, Lay Low, Bishop Allen, Bibio, Azaxx, Pendle Coven, Extra Golden & loads loads more.
resident new releases march 9th 2009
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01.03.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:45 am by derry
Album of the Week : Handsome Furs – Face Control (Sub Pop)
Single of the Week : Kwes – Hearts In Home (Salvia / XL)
Gig of the Week : Shred Yr Face 2 Tour – The Bronx / Fucked Up / Rolo Tomassi @ Concorde 2, Thursday 5th March
Hello One & All!
Well, then, what’s instore for you lot this week? Lots n lots, as usual & first up is our pick of the week from Montreal’s husband & wife duo Handsome Furs who provided us with one of 2007’s highlights & now they return with another brilliant, sonically uplifting album that should appeal to fans of Arcade Fire or War On Drugs………there’s the highly anticipated album from Australia’s Howling Bells who have moved away from the haunting, country ambience & headed into rich, bold, widescreen indie-pop that calls to mind Belly or Throwing Muses…….the mighty U2 make yet another claim for world domination, looking back to their heyday & re-employing the production dreamteam of Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois for their grandoise 12th album that’s being hailed in many circles as being their “masterpiece”………the American alt-country singer / songwriter & New Pornographer, Neko Case, is joined by her regular backing band but this time also enlists the help of M.Ward, Sarah Harmer & various members of Calexico, Giant Sand & The Sadies for her extraordinary 6th album….there’s a surprisingly impressive compilation put together by Ex-Atari Teenage Riot-er Alec Empire who has been delving through the Staubgold back catalogue & has come up with “Rauschgold” – a superb collection of left of centre beauty………Norman Cook has put together a new supergroup project that goes by the name of The BPA (Brighton Port Authority) & includes a host of celebrity friends including David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Jack Penate, Emmy The Great, Dizzee Rascal, Jamie T, Martha Wainwright & more………Matthew Herbert has produced & released a really interesting album by The Invisible whose brooding electronic alt-pop slowly seeps into your consciousness & sounds like a cross between TV on the Radio & early Hot Chip……….Germany’s number 1 soundboy Disrupt has gone on an outah space blip-trip with his new record……..Robert Lloyd’s reformed The Nightingales have put together another maverick mix of post-punk, krautrock, skronky beefheartian rhythms & rockabilly looseness – top quality stuff……….Vini Reilly & his cohorts return with a new Durutti Column album which is clearly influenced by the loss of his good friend Tony Wilson………the debut album from the epic & much raved about Red Light Company comes with a free 7″ if you buy it here…..there’s a gorgeously dark & minimal ambient album from Manual – the 3rd in the series from danish producer Joans Munk………….the 2 Italian composers Fabio Orsi & Valerio Cosi have got together & produced 4 extended compositions of dream-pop vibes & deep ambience that should appeal to fans of Popul Vuh or Brian Eno…….all this & new albums from Sebastien Grainger (formerly of Death From Above 1979), Teitur, Anahita, Glenn Tilbrook, DeRosa, Ethan Rose, Madlib, Courtney Pine, Grandmaster Flash, Justin Townes Earle & more. There are also a whole host of excellent singles released this week including the new XL/Salvia signing Kwes who sounds like a mix between The Dears, TV On The Radio & Damon Albarn – looking forward to more from this guy……..Soap & Skin is a new artist from Austria who delivers a compelling mixture of sounds that sound like a meeting of Bat For Lashes & Sol Seppy…..there’s the 2nd instalment of the Shred Yr Face tour single – a limited 7″ with 1 song each by The Bronx, Fucked Up & Rolo Tomassi………Fat Possum are releasing a number of very limited 7″s & this week’s is from the ace John Barrett’s Bass Drum Of Death…….& many more. To see a complete list of this weeks new releases, click on the link.
resident new releases march 2nd 2009
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