Plenty of boxes, loads of new stuff and some killer reissues.
Hello, Friends.
A very full week of new releases and excellent reissues. We've also just snuck up a bloody Pixies reissue for preorder and taken delivery of about 300 boxes of exclusive titles for this weekend...
Our Record of the Week is Punisher, the second full album from Phoebe Bridgers. Even in her most lo-fi roots, she proved herself to be a devastatingly funny and devastatingly-devastating songwriter; funny, sad and able to move between both with such fluidity. Her new album (following releases in the last couple of years as Boygenius (with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus), and Better Oblivion Community Center (with Conor Oberst)) is a huge sonic step forward, the same maudlin and bitter-sweet sentiments but delivered with beautifully controlled euphoria. This one is going to be massive, deserves it too.
+ We had indie exclusive copies and signed cards, but both have now sold out. Keep an eye on our Twitter just in case! Always check that preorder section.
Dylanites unite! Light the flares! Bob is back with his first album of original material in eight years and his first new work since being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. So full disclosure, we've only listend to Rough And Rowdy Ways once... right now! But it's great. It's got such a great swing to it, the same sort of glimmer as Duquesne Whistle, but a little more low down and bourbon soaked.
The other thing worth mentioning here, the 2CD edition is released today but the double LP (including our limited Bricks & Mortar exclusive 2LP edition pressed on Olive Green vinyl) will be released on Friday 17th July.
Behind The Wall is the SUPERB debut LP from Berlin based Jennifer Touch. It pulls influences from synthpop, disco, crunching synths and even much darker post punk textures. It really has a lush, icy and quite dark energy to it.
+ Indie version LP is pressed on limited, coloured, translucent red vinyl.
Souvenir is the debut LP from Toronto based singer songwriter Jonah Yano. Got some really smart production and directions going on here. I think I prefer less of the vocoder as his voice is lush, but it's always interesting. Features collaborations with his father Tatsuya Muraoka, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Jacques Greene.
Ron Sexsmith returns this week with the new Hermitage LP. It's got such a great vibe this one, vocally he really swoons and it has a great pace with some really funny one liners. Massively underrated songwriter is Ron.
+ Limited edition Indie pressing on Pink vinyl.
Shadow Offering is the fourth studio LP from Montreal's Braids. They have always had such a dreamy quality, but there is something more focused about this LP that really has knocked us back. The slower songs have such draw and the bigger moments have lush drive. It really is a cracker this one.
+ Limited Indie version pressed on red coloured vinyl, housed in a spot gloss, embossed sleeve.
Electronic duo Darkstar return on Warp with Civic Jams. Influenced by both shoegaze and bass-culute it's got some lush, shadowy atmospheric depths to it. They will also be contributing a DJ set on Saturday night for Love Record Stores, more info here: www.loverecordstores.com/programme
Domesticated is the new LP of high-pop from Sebastien Tellier. It pulls together his experimentations into yacht-rock, big pop and dreamy haze. Good vibes this.
+ Indie Version LP is pressed on limited, translucent, yellow coloured vinyl. Housed in a cover with matte finish and tucked in an outer deluxe plastic sleeve with a closing flap.
Laura Cannell releases The Earth With Her Crowns, an album of improvised single takes recorded inside the former Wapping Hydraulic Power Station in London. Pretty special stuff this.
Also this week we have both fancy looking LP editions of the Diet Cig album Do You Wonder About Me?, The Spitfires Life Worth Living on Acid Jazz, the Funky a.f. self-titled Free Nationals LP (including a limited Gold Nugget Vinyl pressing) and Wire's new re-work album 10:20.
The National celebrate the 10-year anniversary of High Violet's release with an expanded edition.
In addition to the original tracks, the triple LP package includes a third LP of tracks not previously available on vinyl. It's a lovely looking package in a tri-fold foil-blocked sleeve with belly band and its pressed on marbled white and purple/violet vinyl.
Another really nice package this week is the limited Space Oddity Limited Edition 1972 Picture Disc from David Bowie. We only have a couple, so don't sit about you Bowie heads.
A vinyl debut for Shine, Joni Mitchell’s critically acclaimed 19th studio album.
Couple of excellent (and brilliantly priced) Augustus Pablo albums on Greensleeves this week with Blowing With The Wind and Rising Sun back in the racks.
More excellence in the Blue Note reissue series with by trumpeter Kenny Dorham's Trompeta Tocata,
pianist and composer Andrew Hill's Smoke Stack, and the Blue Note debut of organist Larry Young's Into Somethin'.
Lastly this week, something very special in the release of Homegrown, Neil Young's lost masterpiece from 1974/75. Young himself explained that this album is “the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes a Time”, which perfectly describes the warm, semi-acoustic feel of these twelve songs. Originally intended to be released in 1975, the album was pulled after Young felt it to be too deeply personal. Although some tracks here have appeared in other forms on other releases over the years, hearing this set as an album (a lot of it new to us) really is special stuff. You thought you knew that period so well, then this familiar looking stranger just walks on in.
Another reminder that this Saturday is our first Love Record Stores event, with a ton of exclusive releases and a full 24-hour virtual instore.
+ You can watch everything online for FREE and we have published the schedule here.
+ All sessions will be available on demand after they have broadcast through Sunday and Monday.
+ You can shop all of the exclusive releases online here as of 9am on Saturday morning.
+ We will not be open for browsing, but you can use click & collect online and come and get your goods.
- Drift
