Easing into another big record shop week with some new-not-new dazzlers.
Hello, Friends.
Let us start with the sublime, shall we?
With Strings Attached is a limited, lavish and whopping great big box set from pioneering jazz harpist, Dorothy Ashby. The 6LP box includes all her major studio LPs from 1957-65, and also includes a 44-page book featuring a foreword from Grammy nominated harpist Brandee Younger. The deeply researched liner notes by Shannon J. Effinger provide historical context to Dorothy’s life, offering the most in-depth piece of writing ever committed to print on Dorothy as well as interviews with those that knew her best.
All albums were remastered and lacquers cut by the exceptional Kevin Gray directly from the original analog tapes, except The Jazz Harpist and Dorothy Ashby from which the original tapes have unfortunately been lost. Manufacturing has been handled by Pallas and all albums have been pressed on 180gm black vinyl and housed inside thick, reverse-board sleeves.
An investment for sure, but a rich reward too.
Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy returns this week on Heavenly Recordings with a second helping of her superb Balearic Breakfast, a compilation based on her wonderful Worldwide FM show. A great flow and great energy between; soul, disco and deep house, ambient and space rock and before she played ‘em, we knew hardly any. It’s a rush!
Volume 2 is available on vinyl and we also have a CD edition with both Volume 1 and 2 together.
A real Drift house classic this week too with a new pressing of Roy Ayers’ all-time euphoric Virgo Vibes. A sunny set from 1967 featuring the young jazz vibraphonist with a pretty wild band. This is endorphins on tap.
Matt Berry releases a special 10th Anniversary Deluxe edition of his Kill The Wolf. Hazy psychedelic folk with the perfect balance of melancholy and humour. Really lush.
The gatefold double LP features the original album on the first disc and all of the exclusive material on a specially compiled second LP. The record itself mimics the original album’s blood-splatter appearance.
Also this week we have an Abbey Road half-speed remaster pressing of Tears For Fears’ huge The Hurting LP. A double from the Paisley Park vaults with Prince’s The Gold Experience (credited on release as his unpronounceable symbol) and The Truth that followed a few years later, originally released independently. We also have a cool-looking MMJ Live Vol. 3: Bonnaroo 2004 LP from My Morning Jacket, such a great band!
Lastly this week, one of our absolute, all-time, solid-gold, always-essential, most-loved and always-spinning compilations with Soul Jazz’s Delta Swamp Rock – Sounds From The South: At The Crossroads Of Rock, Country And Soul. It is honestly just the most constantly engaging collection, an interstate southern road-trip through the United States of America where country, rock and soul met. It features heavy hitters that include; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Link Wray, Waylon Jennings, Big Star, Linda Ronstadt, Bobbie Gentry, The Allman Brothers, Leon Russell and more.
It’s a legit trip, and through both the music and the liner notes, is an exploration of the musical and cultural links between the cities of Memphis, Muscle Shoals and Nashville in the 1960s and 70s.
Pressed up on limited Gold colour vinyl. Don’t overthink it, just get involved.
This week will include plenty of Signed Squid, a new Dinked Edition and an album announcing tomorrow from one of our most favourite artists that we had no idea about and basically made us all cry!
- Drift