New Releases - 12/12/25
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Aesop Rock - I Heard It's a Mess There Too CD/LP (Rhymesayers)
For Aesop Rock, the phrase "I heard it's a mess there too" started out as a lyric, but it didn't take long for that line to get its hooks into him. I Heard It's A Mess There Too lives at the intersection of two personal urges for Aesop: the need to venture out and document your surroundings, and the desire to stay connected-especially when things feel uncertain. Musically, Aesop Rock explores some new territory on the album. "I made a conscious shift in my process here. I tried out some new tools and attempted to make my beats cleaner, more minimal. I just wanted enough to get a wave rolling and not much more, just setting a mood I could move to." These twelve songs mark different stops along that path of tinkering and looking for something new. [Red vinyl pressing.]
Florent Albrecht - Leopold & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Kindermusik CD (Harmonia Mundi)
For their first harmonic mundi album, Florent Albrecht and his Ensemble L'Encyclopédie explore the mischievous world of the Mozarts, father and son. Whether in the well-known Toy Symphony, the tinkling bells of Leopold's A Musical Sleigh Ride or the 'How to compose all wrong' tutorial of Wolfgang's A Musical Joke, joy and fantasy are mixed with a portion of subtle wit - qualities shared by the polished stylistic approach of the performers.
Benny the Butcher - Summertime Butch 2 LP (Next Records)
Buffalo’s own Benny The Butcher returns with Summertime Butch 2 — a razor-sharp follow-up that cements his status as one of rap’s most consistent and commanding voices. This 12-track project finds The Butcher blending his signature street wisdom with summer-ready energy, delivering a body of work that’s as introspective as it is hard-hitting. The production is lush yet gritty, balancing soulful samples with hard drums that cut through like Benny’s pen.
Drugdealer - Real Thing b/w the News 7" (Mexican Summer)
Drugdealer returns with two collaborations that highlight Michael Collins' signature blend of classic pop craftsmanship and heartfelt modern songwriting. "Real Thing" reunites Collins with longtime collaborator and conspirator Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood) in a lush, cross-continental session years in the making. The track captures the magic of their musical chemistry-an effortless blend of timeless melody and soul-infused harmony. On "The News," Collins teams up for the first time with Robbie Chemical, turning a simple harmony sparked in Spain into a panoramic pop gem.
Kelly Finnigan - I Can't Wait (for Christmas Time) / Snowy Night in Ohio 7" (Colemine Records)
For the first time since his viral holiday album 'A Joyful Sound' released in 2020, Kelly Finnigan (Monophonics) is back with two new original Christmas songs. 'I Can't Wait (For Christmas Time)' is a heavy yet laid back cut with a straight ahead pop arrangement. It's that rust belt soul sound with the kind of harmonies that fuel Southern California cruisers. 'Snowy Night In Ohio' feels like a slow moving midnight train making its way from Cincinnati to Memphis. Inspired by Finnigan's first winter in Ohio, his love for gospel records, and horn arrangements by Isaac Hayes.
Fucked Up - Year of the Goat LP (Tankcrimes)
The 10th edition of Fucked Up’s “Zodiac Series” of releases based off the Chinese Zodiac calendar and the 12 animals represented. Released by such notable labels as Merge, Deathwish, Vice, Matador and Tankcrimes. The Zodiac series sonically represents the side of Fucked Up “pushing the boundaries of what could be considered Hardcore” as they delve into prog rock, psychedelia, punk, classical, soundscapes, and more. Bringing on guest musicians and vocalists, each record contains just one song pushing over 20 minute and in one case over 90 minutes. Year of the Goat is a 50 minute song.
Geese - Getting Killed LP (Partisan)
Geese return with their 3rd album, 'Getting Killed'. They tracked the album with Kenneth Blume in 10 fast-paced days. With scant time for overdubbing, what emerged is a chaotic comedy, shambolic in structure but passionately performed, informed by an exacting vision. Big riffs are layered on choir samples; hissing drum machines pulse softly behind screeching guitars. They balance a disarming tenderness with an intensified anger, trading their love of classic rock for a disdain for music itself. [Violet vinyl pressing.]
Goose - Chain Yer Dragon 2xCD/3xLP (No Coincidence)
The band's second release of 2025, 'Chain Yer Dragon' welcomes listeners into a rich, fully-realized world of music and familiar characters, beckoning them to follow the lights and sounds through dingy barrooms and late nights on the road that dissolve into the clarity of a fresh dawn. 'Chain Yer Dragon' showcases Goose's versatility, laying down 70's-infused rock songs that feel lived-in and that come to life through improvisation. Playing with form, 'Chain Yer Dragon" is buoyed by a natural production style that gives the album the raw, freewheeling feel of the band's electric live shows.
Juliana Hatfield - Lightning Might Strike CD/LP (American Laundromat)
First new album of originals from the indie rocker since 2021's Blood. "This practice of putting songs together has always sustained me and given my life - as uncontrollable as it feels - meaning and purpose, even in the darkest times. "Lightning Might Strike" is largely about that; the music itself is pulling me out of a big hole in real time, in the time it took me to make the album."
HEALTH - Conflict DLC CD/LP (Loma Vista)
HEALTH's latest album is a statement of urgency and clarity. Music that is heavy, unflinching, and emotionally direct. For the past two decades, the band has cultivated a unique and unparalleled sound that blurs the boundaries between industrial, rock, electronic, and metal, shaping a style that refuses easy categorization. On this new record the band push that tension further, stripping away metaphor and artifice to deliver something raw, vulnerable, and honest. [Red vinyl pressing.]
Infinite Coles - Sweetface Killah LP (Don't Sleep Music)
Infinite Coles releases his long-awaited debut album SweetFace Killah. Produced by Zach Witness (Doechii, Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu), the 12-track project is a fearless statement of identity, weaving together R&B, ballroom, house, and soul. The album arrives with a powerful double single, "SweetFace Killah" and "Dad & I", exploring the complex relationship with his father. Earlier releases "BGM" and "Boots Ballroom C*nt Mix" featuring Maleigh Zan & Julz set the stage, the latter hailed by Clash as "an anthem that serves as a manifesto in serving." From explosive cuts like "DMs" and "Shoot" to soul-stirring ballads like "Mama Song", "Thankful", and "Body Strong", SweetFace Killah showcases Infinite's innate vocal gifts, emotional honesty, and deep connection to Vogue-Ballroom culture.
Jillian Jacqueline - MotherDaughterSisterWife CD/LP (Virgin)
Nashville's Jillian Jacqueline returns with MotherDaughterSisterWife - a fearless, intimate album exploring the many roles women embody. With her signature mix of poetic lyricism, soulful vocals, and genre-blurring production, Jacqueline delivers songs that are raw, honest, and deeply human. This is more than music - it's a confession, a celebration, and a conversation starter. MotherDaughterSisterWife is a tribute to women across the world struggling with the juggle of it all. [Gold color vinyl pressing.]
K-Lone - sorry i thought you were someone else 2xLP (Incienso)
An intimate, mesmerizing record about loss and change, sorry i thought you were someone else is ambient/house producer K-Lone's most personal album to date and his debut release on Incienso. Made after his father's passing, the album became a place of escape and reflection. It's a warm, hypnotic space to drift within.
Lambrini Girls - Who Let The Dogs Out (limited Slutcore Version For Kids Who Can't Read Good) LP (City Slang)
After an incredible year with their debut album Who Let The Dogs Out — released in January and followed by what felt like a thousand sold-out shows and countless festival appearances across the globe — Lambrini Girls cemented their place as one of the most talked-about, loved, hated, debated and celebrated bands of the year. Now, Who Let The Dogs Out returns in a very special end-of-year edition. But this isn’t one of those overpriced deluxe versions — quite the opposite. It’s a stripped-back, black-and-white, DIY, down-to-earth punk rock version, complete with alternative artwork by none other than fellow legend, visual artist David Shrigley.
Nas - Light-Years LP (Nas & DJ Premier)
The highly-anticipated new album from Nas. Limited first-edition white label version.
Nightmares on Wax - Echo45 Sound System 2xLP (Warp Records)
Growing up in the sound system culture of Leeds in England, George spent a fiver, courtesy of his mum, on a battered old speaker box he named "Echo45". That box led him to Kevin Harper, a founding member of Nightmares on Wax, a chance meeting that would change the course of his life. With the latest music "Echo45 Sound System", Nightmares On Wax takes that lineage a step further-a mixtape that feels like both a celebration and a declaration. It's a living, sound system journey inspired by the original "Echo45" speaker box that merges soul, roots, hip-hop, dub, and electronic textures with a fearless spirit. Featuring a carefully curated ensemble of collaborators, including Yasiin Bey, Greentea Peng, Sadie Walker, Liam Bailey, and more. [Gold color vinyl pressing.]
Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory? 4x7" (Big Brother)
A limited edition (What's The Story) Morning Glory? 7" Singles Box Set - a replica of the highly collectible original 1996 CD cigarette style box. Includes 4 7" singles, featuring the 2014 remastered versions of Some Might Say, Roll With It, Wonderwall, and Don't Look Back In Anger with their B-sides.
Oh No - Nodega CD/LP (Nature Sounds)
Oh No helped shape the texture of modern independent hip-hop, introducing the world to his turbulent lyricism with the 2004 Stones Throw classic The Disrupt before establishing himself as one of the world’s most dynamic beat architects. Now, Oh No is back with Nodega, his first vocal album in more than a decade. Conceptualized as a corner store where microphone assassins stop through to lay down their street tales, the project finds Oh No cooking up a fresh batch of wild creations as the drama unfolds. While contributing a handful of memorable verses himself, Oh No mostly focuses on crafting soundscapes for a staggering array of guests, including Logic, Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli, Tha God Fahim, Alchemist, Guilty Simpson, Blu, Crimeapple, Rah Digga, Esoteric, Vic Spencer, Wildchild, Big Twins, and more.
Parlor Greens - Auld Lang Syne / Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday 7" (Colemine Records)
Looking for a fresh 45 to spin this holiday season? Look no further than your friendly neighborhood organ trio Parlor Greens! Their take on The Black On White Affair's classic version of Auld Lang Syne on the a-side, which absolutely crushes. Scone tears the organ to shreds leaving nothing left but a few stockings and some wrapping paper. Flip to over to close the night with a beautiful and mellow instrumental version of William Bell's "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday." Two sides to this very merry coin.
Portugal the Man - SHISH CD/LP (KNIK)
SHISH is the 10th album from John Gourley’s band, Portugal. The Man, and the first he’s made not only since leaving Atlantic Records to start a label of his own, KNIK, but also since completing his handicap-accessible home studio in Oregon. On SHISH, Portugal. The Man’s world gets smaller. Gourley’s musical vision, however, has perhaps never been grander. End to end, SHISH embodies the energy of exploration, of the possibilities of a new frontier being opened to imagination. While supplies last, all vinyl copies at Grimey's are signed by the band! You can purchase one here. [Indie exclusive Denali Blue vinyl pressing.]
This Is Lorelei - Holo Boy CD/LP (Double Double Whammy)
After the breakout indie success of Box for Buddy, Box for Star, his quasi-debut album as This Is Lorelei, Nate Amos (also of Water From Your Eyes) rethought the typical album format altogether. Holo Boy features 10 re-recorded versions of songs written from 2014 to 2021, collected from nine different This Is Lorelei releases. With hundreds of tracks to choose from, Amos elected not to treat this LP as a best-of, or to spend hours listening back, but instead to pick interesting songs from a long span that are special to him. The result is This Is Lorelei’s sort-of-second sort-of-album, Holo Boy—neither a retrospective compilation, nor a traditionally new LP, but an undeniable reaffirmation of Amos’ past and present talents.
Wild Pink - Dulling the Horns LP (Fire Talk)
If before, Wild Pink took notes from Springsteen and Petty, they’ve now entered their Crazy Horse era. On Dulling The Horns, you can hear him rediscovering the fire in real time. Tropes discarded along the roadside, songs pulled from the formative DNA of rock music, all filtered through years of messy fog. “There is no answer to these problems,” Ross says, having eventually yielded. But as far Dulling The Horns is concerned, there’s at least one path forward: Burn it all away, and keep moving. [Blue swirl vinyl pressing.]
Reissues, Comps, Live Recordings, Vault Excavations...
90 Day Men - (It (Is) It) Critical Band (Y2K 25th Anniversary Edition) 2xLP (Numero)
Atmospheric post-rock from turn of the century Chicago. 90 Day Men's debut for Southern Records surfs no wave's spiky shorelines for eight hypnotizing tracks. This expanded 25th anniversary edition includes an unreleased album tracked at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio, with notes from engineer Greg Norman and a fresh Heba Kadry master. Let's meet at Jinx. [Coke bottle clear vinyl pressing.]
Aksak Maboul - Before Aksak Maboul (Documents & Experiments 1969-1977) CD (Crammed Discs)
Retrieved from long-forgotten reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes, this collection unveils some of the meanders which eventually led to the inception of legendary experimental pop outfit Aksak Maboul, founded in 1977 and still active in 2025. This collections' moments of free rock, improv, quasi-kraut, modular and ambient electronics, piano pieces, percussion and various experiments and sketches, hint at what Aksak Maboul later became, and at what it has not (but could have) become.
Alabaster Deplume - To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 (IA11 Edition) LP (International Anthem)
To Cy and Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 is a simple but profoundly beautiful collection of Mancunian poet, singer, saxophonist and composer Alabaster DePlume’s serenely intimate wordless explorations in melodic ennui. It properly introduced the world to a previously under-exposed, undeniably deep dimension of DePlume who, at the time of the album’s release, was most known to his (primarily British, majorly committed) followers for his prowess as an impassioned orator with a gift for words. The IA11 Edition of To Cy and Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 comes on classic black 140-gram vinyl LP inside a heavyweight reverse-board jacket, with a 12-page 11x11" insert booklet (with previously-unpublished photos and new liner notes by DePlume himself), IARC 2025 obi strip and printed poly-lined inner-sleeve.
Babymetal - Babymetal 2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)
Babymetal - Metal Resistance 2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)
Splatter effect color vinyl reissues of the kawaii metal band's first two albums.
The Band - The Best of the Band LP (Capitol)
Newly remastered. First time on 180g vinyl in decades. Includes "The Weight," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up On Cripple Creek," "Ophelia" and many more!
Blur - The Great Escape 2xLP (Warner)
Originally released on 11th September 1995, this iconic album captured the spirit of Britpop at its peak and marked a defining moment in the band’s career. The Great Escape was the follow-up to Blur's global breakthrough album Parklife and it charted at no. 1 selling over 125,000 copies in its first week, going on to achieve Triple Platinum status in the UK. It defined mid-’90s Britain, both the optimism and the underlying malaise and ultimately became the record that placed Blur at the heart of one of the most talked-about moments in music history. 30th Anniversary Edition includes a bonus disc of rare B-sides which have never been released on vinyl before.
Chris Carter & Ian Boddy - Caged 2xLP (Mute)
First released in 2000, Caged united two giants of experimental electronic music - Throbbing Gristle's Chris Carter, a pioneering force in industrial and electronic music for over four decades, and Ian Boddy, composer, sound designer, analogue synth aficionado, and founder of the ambient/electronic label DiN. Across its shifting soundscapes, Caged plays with chance and paradox, where a whisper swells into a crescendo, a beat dissolves into a tone, and nothing remains still for long. The 25th anniversary edition is expanded with two brand-new compositions reimagined from the original audio files: "Claustrophobia,"reworked by Carter, and "Uncaged," reworked by Boddy.
Craig David - Born to Do It 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
25th anniversary reissue. Born to Do It stands as a landmark album in the history of UK garage and R&B. Co-produced with Mark Hill (Artful Dodger), it debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and featured hit singles like Fill Me In, 7 Days, and Walking Away. This is the first time the album has been available on color vinyl and will feature the original album tracks as well as two US bonus tracks, "Key To My Heart" and "Fill Me In (Part 2)." [Gold colored vinyl pressing.]
Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi 2xLP (Barsuk)
Vinyl reissue of the indie rock band's 2015 album.
Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame CD/LP (Sony Legacy)
Depeche Mode - Ultra CD/LP (Sony Legacy)
Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Remastered reissues of the synth-pop/alt-rock band's 1982, 1997, and 2009 albums.
Detective - It Takes One to Know One CD/LP (Org Music)
Released in 1977 on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records, It Takes One To Know One found Detective pushing their swaggering hard rock even further, with frontman Michael Des Barres and former Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye at the helm. Blending muscular riffs, blues-soaked grooves, and a touch of glam, the album cemented the band's reputation as one of Swan Song's fiercest signings. A long-overlooked gem of '70s rock, finally back in print with the care it deserves. [Purple vinyl pressing.]
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I 2xLP (Barsuk)
Reissue of the underground classic from The Dismemberment Plan. In the 25 years since its release, Emergency & I has been widely regarded as the definitive artistic statement from the beloved Washington D.C. quartet, and as one of the best indie albums of the 90's. Like Barsuk’s previous 2xLP black-vinyl pressings, this pressing on alien orange vinyl still features a full side of bonus tracks not included on the digital release, and deluxe packaging: a gatefold jacket, lyric sheet, and giant extra insert with a full-color photo collage and in-depth liner notes.
Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo - Strange but True CD/LP (Joyful Noise Records)
Jad Fair has been prolific for half a century now, long before the Internet could create a simultaneous and seemingly eternal archive of everything someone with his predilections made. One of those collaborations that Fair made in the '90s - Strange But True, with Yo La Tengo - has been hard to find, despite its stateside release on October 20th 1998, by Matador Records. For the first time, the album is being reissued on vinyl by Joyful Noise and Bar/None. By the time Fair played a party with Yo La Tengo in the mid-'90s, they were all friends, fans, and collaborators, having worked on or released records together. When Fair suggested they all head into the studio, the trio bit. The result, Strange But True, is as wonderful, varied, and wild as some enormous lawn of native grasses. This collaborative album showcases the artists' uncanny range, bringing us back to a time when indie rock was still free to be as weird and unruly as its makers wanted it to be.
Steve Forbert - The Things That I See CD (Rolling Tide)
Remastered 10th anniversary rerelease of Steve Forbert's 2015 album Compromised. Initially released on the Rock Ridge label, it features Forbert's cover of "Send In The Clowns" along with 11 of his originals.
Gang of Four - Shrinkwrapped LP (Gill King)
Shrinkwrapped', the 6th studio album by Gang of Four, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025 with its first ever release on vinyl. The album was written by Andy Gill and Jon King and produced by Andy. Some of the 11 tracks feature on the soundtrack to the movie, 'Delinquent', by Peter Hall. It includes the Gang of Four live favourite 'I Parade Myself' and the single 'Tattoo". The album was considered a return to form by Gang of Four.
Johnny Griffin - A Blowing Session LP (Blue Note)
Johnny Griffin called upon his fellow master practitioners of the tenor saxophone John Coltrane & Hank Mobley for his second Blue Note album, A Blowing Session, in 1957. The fiery set features trumpeter Lee Morgan balancing out the 3-tenor frontline while a rhythm section with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey stokes the fires. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Françoise Hardy - Canta Per Voi In Italiano 2xLP (Omnivore)
Françoise Hardy - In Deutschland 2xLP (Omnivore)
Françoise Hardy's Vogue years have left a mark on the history of French and international music. Even today, the 5 years between 1962-67 remain an exceptional moment in her career, the one when she exploded in the eyes of a generation that was born during or just after the World War II, the generation that would be part of the May 1968 Paris protests. Hardy exploded not only in France alongside her fellow "Yéyés," but also internationally, where she became the symbol of French elegance, talent and charm. Canta Per Voi In Italiano collects her Italian-language studio recordings, and In Deutschland collects her German-language studio recordings.
Richie Havens - Alarm Clock LP (Elemental)
A long-awaited vinyl reissue of Alarm Clock, one of Richie Havens' most iconic albums, unavailable on vinyl for decades! Recorded amidst the Vietnam War's turmoil and the tragic Kent State shootings of 1970, Alarm Clock was Havens' urgent wake-up call to a generation-a powerful warning against an overreaching government. This reissue includes two never-before-released tracks: "Nobody Knows" and a deeply moving rendition of Graham Nash's "Military Madness."
Various Artists - Highest 2 Lowest LP (A24 Music)
Spike Lee's newest joint Highest 2 Lowest takes a look into the life of the fictional Stackin Hit's record label founder (Denzel Washington). The soundtrack aptly features a curated list of original songs from music greats and inspiring new artists. Budding songbirds Jensen McCrae and Aiyana-Lee both contribute their signature vocals to the album, while Harlem legend Eddie Palmieri delivers high-energy performances with his salsa orchestra. The real stand-out is fellow New York native, A$AP Rocky (who also stars in the film), dropping two hard-hitting earworms that remind us why he is one of rap's modern superstars. The soundtrack's star power is grounded by a sweeping orchestral score composed by Howard Drossin and complimented by the jazz-pianist led Fergus McCreadie Trio.
J Dilla - Donuts 2xLP (Stones Throw)
A brand new 20th anniversary audiophile edition. The Donuts Audiophile Edition is lacquer cut at Bernie Grundman and manufactured at Fidelity Record Pressing - 2LP 180g vinyl at 45rpm. Deluxe art printed Stoughton jacket. When J Dilla, aka Detroit’s James Yancey, made Donuts, he was 31 years old and widely celebrated as a producer of rare talent, having worked with Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and De La Soul, among many others. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure jazz, funk, and soul, and, as a talented drummer in his own right, he brought a rare sense of groove to the samples he chopped up on his trusty Akai MPC. Completed during the year Dilla spent in and out of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and released on his birthday, February 7, 2006, Donuts gained particular poignancy when he died three days later on February 10th.
Cody Jinks - Adobe Sessions 2xLP (Late August Records)
10-year anniversary edition includes a never before released song, “Everything,” which was recorded during the original recording session.
Lil Ced - Playin' by the Rules 2xLP (Now Again)
Debut solo album from Orange Mound’s Lil Ced produced by Lil Ced, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, and Chill Will. Lil Ced was also in the group R.A.N. with Big Syl and received the Now-Again Memphis Rap reissue treatment on Gotta Be Lyrical. The Lil Ced album was originally released on CD and cassette in 1997 and is now available for the first time on vinyl. This is part of Now Again Records' multi-LP series on the History of Memphis Rap, which attempts to capture Memphis and its underground rap scene as it began to produce some of the most distinctive music of the 1990s. This was a unique hip-hop strain – visceral and often vicious. It was a lo cal, low-fi, cassette-tape-based movement – yet it went on to change the course of rap music.
Cecil McBee - Mutima CD/LP (Strata-East)
Cecil McBee’s debut album, Mutima, stands as a landmark achievement in 1970s jazz, blending the deeply introspective qualities of spiritual jazz with adventurous post-bop and avant-garde influences. Released in 1974 on the revered Strata-East label, the album highlights McBee’s virtuosic skill on the bass alongside his remarkable gift for crafting compositions that resonate with emotional and intellectual depth. Backed by a stellar ensemble featuring luminaries such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Onaje Allan Gumbs, and Dom Salvador, Mutima – translated as “unseen forces” – unfolds as a vivid musical journey.
Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings 2xLP (International Anthem)
The 2018 release of Universal Beings, in many ways, feels like the moment that the dam broke for both Makaya McCraven and International Anthem. On one hand, it's a four-sided communal showcase of the inter-city exchange that had started to develop in the “new jazz” hubs, collecting group improvisations from New York, London, Chicago, and Los Angeles. On the other, it is an editing and post-production masterclass – the MVP of McCraven’s “organic beat music” concept – and a landmark moment where his cut-splice-reassembly chops shine as brightly as the players themselves. The original Imaginational Anthem press release called it “an inspiring display of the organic global inter-connectedness of the Black American music tradition in 2018.” Not in the press release, in our off-the-record conversations at the time, we said it was ‘like Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, but for jazz’. The IA11 Edition of Universal Beings comes on classic black 140-gram vinyl 2xLP inside a heavyweight reverse-board jacket, with a 16-page 11x11" insert booklet (with unpublished photos and four conversations between IARC co-founder Scott McNiece and musicians Joel Ross, Junius Paul, Nubia Garcia, and Anna Butterss), IARC 2025 obi strip and printed poly-lined printed inner-sleeve.
Thelonious Monk - Bremen 1965 CD/2xLP (Sunnyside)
Bremen 1965 finds the jazz legend on his second tour to feature stops in Germany with his seasoned quartet featuring his longtime saxophone foil, Charlie Rouse, along with bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley. The performance captures unique takes of Monk classics, like "Criss Cross, " "Well You Needn't, " "Epistrophy, " and "Rhythm-a-ning, " along with standards that Monk continued to find inspiring, including "Sweet and Lovely, " "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, " and "Don't Blame Me." Long, loose takes on these pieces allow for listeners to experience Monk and company's ability to swing, duel, and sing in their most unparalleled fashion. The music of Thelonious Monk remains eternally and monumentally singular in approach and conception.
Wes Montgomery - Bumpin' LP (Verve)
Wes Montgomery's first album to reach the Billboard charts, Bumpin' showcases his exceptional command of the guitar with the support of an orchestra arranged and conducted by Don Sebesky. The rhythm section of Roger Kellaway (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Grady Tate (drums) add fire to and drive the orchestra. With a top-notch selection of compositions from Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Mandel, John Francis Burke, and Montgomery himself, Bumpin' takes the listener on a majestic journey each time it spins. Verve Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Various Artists - Music from the Land of the Sky: 1925 Asheville Sessions CD/2xLP (Rivermont)
In the late summer of 1925, pioneering producer Ralph Peer directed a series of recording sessions atop the George Vanderbilt Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina that would become the stuff of legend. They were the first commercial recordings ever made in Appalachia and included several influential "old-time" musicians (Wade Ward, Ernest V. Stoneman, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Kelly Harrell, and Henry Whitter) alongside regional prize-winning fiddlers, banjo players, harmonica soloists, and even visiting vaudeville and pop performers like Emmett Miller and the Carolina Club Orchestra. The immensely entertaining and historically important records they produced include mountain ballads, folk tunes, ragtime instrumentals, novelties, and more; and yet, these recordings have been overlooked for a century because of their extreme rarity and technological limitations. Peer would go on to direct the famed 1927 Bristol Sessions, widely considered the "Big Bang of Country Music" - but these 1925 Asheville recordings lit the fuse. The 84-minute collection includes 28 complete selections, meticulously restored from the original discs with no artificial enhancements, and a generous 24-page book by renowned scholars Ted Olson and Tony Russell, telling in detail the fascinating story of the 1925 Asheville Sessions with dozens of rare photographs, a complete discography, song lyrics, color reproductions of all original labels, and biographies of all session participants.
Various Artists - Oh What Fun CD (Mutant)
Featuring an incredible music selection of original Christmas songs written and recorded exclusively for the film from the likes of Gwen Stefani, Fleet Foxes, Weyes Blood, Jeff Tweedy. Sharon Van Etten as well as a beautiful cover of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' by St. Vincent. This is the perfect holiday record for those looking for something a little different this year.
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here 50 2xCD/3xLP/4xLP+2xCD+Blu-Ray+7” (Sony Legacy)
Wish You Were Here 50 gives fans an exciting new perspective into one of Pink Floyd’s most iconic and best-loved records. The 50th anniversary edition features the original album plus an extra disc (or 2 vinyl discs) of studio rarities including previously unreleased alternate versions and demos presenting Pink Floyd's eighth studio album in a brand-new way that demands repeat listening. Deluxe Box Set includes all 3-LP and 2-CD material, plus a Blu-ray including a Dolby Atmos mix of the album, as well as a fourth vinyl LP, Live At Wembley 1974, a replica Japanese 7” Single of Have A Cigar b/w Welcome To The Machine, a hardcover book including unseen photographs, a comic book tour programme, and Knebworth poster.
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & The Lash (40th Anniversary Edition) 2xLP (Rhino)
The Pogues' seminal album, 'Rum Sodomy & The Lash' celebrates its 40th anniversary. Originally released on August 5th 1985, the album captured the raw energy and poetic lyricism that defined The Pogues, solidifying their place as one of the most influential bands of their generation. [Red marble vinyl pressing.]
The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York 12" (Rhino)
Limited Edition 12" Zoetrope vinyl EP featuring zoetrope imagery based on the classic Fairytale of New York music video. The EP includes the original version, instrumental version, and a rare live version of Dirty Old Town from Glasgow Barrowland in December 1987. Also included from the same Dec 1987 Glasgow show is a completely unheard and unreleased live version of Fairytale Of New York, recorded the first time the band ever played the track live, also featuring Kirsty McColl's debut live performance with the band.
Max Roach - Percussion Bitter Sweet LP (Verve)
Percussion Bitter Sweet, released in 1961 on Impulse! Records, is one of preeminent jazz drummer Max Roach's most politically charged and musically expansive recordings. Recorded over two days in September 1960 at Universal Studios in Chicago, the record reflects Roach's deepening engagement with themes of social justice and Pan-African identity. The ensemble features trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, and tuba innovator Ray Draper, alongside Roach's own commanding blend of cymbal textures, mallets, and explosive rhythmic detail. The inclusion of vocalist Abbey Lincoln - Roach's artistic and political partner at the time - adds urgency and emotional power to the project's most pointed statements.
Roxy Music - Love is the Drug 12" (Universal)
Available on 12” vinyl for the first time, the “Love Is The Drug” 50th anniversary edition includes the original mix, Greg Wilson’s extended edit, Todd Terje’s “Disco Dub” version of the track, and the original b-side to the release, “Sultanesque.” “Love Is The Drug” was the first single to be released from Siren, Roxy Music’s celebrated fifth studio album. The track was an immediate hit, landing at No.2 on the UK Singles Chart on its release. Additionally, it became the band’s highest charting single in North America.
Archie Shepp - Four for Trane LP (Verve)
Four for Trane, released in 1964 on Impulse! Records, was saxophonist Archie Shepp's first major studio statement and remains one of his most influential albums. Co-produced by John Coltrane and recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio, the set presents Shepp performing four Coltrane compositions alongside Shepp's own "Rufus." Rather than offering faithful renditions, Shepp and arranger Roswell Rudd reimagine Coltrane's material with bold ensemble voicings, fluctuating time signatures, and unfettered improvisation. The quintet - Shepp on tenor saxophone, Rudd on trombone, Alan Shorter on flugelhorn, Reggie Workman on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums - bridges the intensity of free jazz with the formal rigor of post-bop. Four for Trane signaled his arrival as a vital and progressive voice within the new wave of 1960s jazz. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Jimmy Smith - House Party LP (Blue Note)
A studio album that captured the freewheeling energy of a live blowing session, organist Jimmy Smith's House Party featured a who's who cast of musicians stretching out on a set of bebop, blues, and standards including Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Lou Donaldson, George Coleman, Tina Brooks, Kenny Burrell, Eddie McFadden, Art Blakey & Donald Bailey. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Kathy Smith - Kathy Smith 2 LP (Elemental)
Enigmatic singer-songwriter Kathy Smith emerged from the same Orange County, California milieu as Tim Buckley and Jackson Browne, recorded two hauntingly beautiful albums for Richie Havens' Stormy Forest label, and then quietly disappeared from the scene. Originally released in 1971, Kathy Smith 2 was her most daring and accomplished creation, an innovative fusion of psychedelic folk and jazz. Highlighted by Kathy's own exquisite compositions like "Fly off with the Wind" and "For Emile," it also includes her unique interpretations of songs by Jimmie Spheeris and Jackson Browne (the only offcially released version of "It's Taking So Long").
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Tha Doggfather 2xLP (DRR/Gamma)
The definitive sound of a rap legend's evolution. Originally released in 1996, Tha Doggfather is Snoop's defiant, Double Platinum sophomore album. With production helmed by Daz Dillinger, this album delivers an essential dose of laid-back G-Funk, including the classic tracks "Doggfather" and "Vapors." It's the sound of an untouchable icon cementing his legacy amidst chaos.
Charles Tolliver & Stanley Cowell - Music Inc CD/LP (Strata-East)
As Strata-East’s debut release, Music Inc. by Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell set the standard for creative expression, artistic freedom, and musical mastery that Tolliver and co-founder Cowell exemplified throughout their celebrated careers. Recorded on November 11, 1970, Music Inc. is a masterclass in executing a singular creative vision for large ensembles, with the core band—led by Tolliver’s expertise—featuring Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums. Now mastered by Kevin Gray with audio cut directly from the original analog tapes the album that started a revolution is available digitally for the first time, embodying the freedom and finesse that Strata-East has been synonymous with since the 1970s.
World Party - Bang! LP (Seaview)
Featuring the #2 most downloaded/ streamed hit "Is It Like Today?," small limited runs of each World Party album (5 total) will be pressed on white vinyl, with the run marketed as "The White Albums", cheekily referring to Karl's re-recording of The Beatles and his fans eternal quest to hear them.