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The Police - Regatta de Blanc, Zenyatta Mondatta, Ghost in the Machine, and Synchronicity LP reissues (A&M)

4 February 2020

Vinyl fans without a need for a boxed set of the full Police catalog can now choose from four individual remastered LPs.

All India Radio - Eternal (Spectra)

4 February 2020

AIR has been remarkably consistent over its near-two decade career, and Eternal keeps its winning streak going.

Criteria Years Cover

Criteria – Years (15 Passenger)

2 February 2020

Having missed this band their first time around, I am glad to have come across Criteria now. Years is the title of their first release after a fifteen year hiatus. Stephen Pedersen spent some time in Cursive before departing and eventually forming Criteria.

Storie Grubb - The Void Struggle (Self-Released)

31 January 2020

Storie Grubb is a wet dream waiting to be discovered by those who will spend hours searching through Bandcamp for secret DIY gems, and The Void Struggle proves itself to be the creation of an artist with a truly singular and original identity.

The Cosmic Array - Goldilocks (SWND)

31 January 2020

On April 17 this year, Welsh act The Cosmic Array are set to unleash their latest work Goldilocks. A blending of styles that creates a rewarding piece of work for the listener to indulge in.

Ricky Mirage - Hope And Hindsight Ep (Self Released)

30 January 2020

The son of Chicago, Illinois, multi-instrumentalist Ricky Mirage released this Ep a while back, but it remains deserving of some attention

Michael Simmons - Playlist 2020: The Originals (Crab Apple Records) 

29 January 2020

Michael Simmons of the legendary power pop zeitgeist sparkle jets UK presents Playlist 2020: The Originals. Twenty-one tracks, written and performed by students of Huntington Beach High School.

Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi 30th Anniversary Deluxe (UMC/Virgin)

28 January 2020

On January 31st, Neneh Cherry releases a 30th anniversary edition of her iconic 1989 release Raw Like Sushi.

Resurrection Fern - Fern EP (Self-Released)

28 January 2020

Although smaller in stature than her debut, Fern is undoubtedly Resurrection Fern’s greatest statement yet as a musician.

A Girl Called Eddy

A Girl Called Eddy – Been Around (Elefant)

26 January 2020

Missing-in-action pop royalty resurfaces with a sophomore masterpiece.

The Tor Guides - Backwards In Reverse (Futureman Records)

21 January 2020

The Tor Guides have made an excellent album in Backwards In Reverse, moving forward with ideas with a nod to the past

KT Tunstall - Golden State Vinyl EP (Rostrum Records)

20 January 2020

The 2016 release Golden State by KT Tunstall gets a well deserved vinyl release.

OOIOO - nijimusi

OOIOO - nijimusi (Thrill Jockey)

20 January 2020

The group’s first collection of new material after a six-year hiatus is a feeling or wavelength pronounceable and describable on the user’s own elated terms, much like OOIOO’s namesake.

The Vertigos - Out Of My Head (Self-Released)

19 January 2020

Writer Kevin Burke explores one of the most interesting punk releases of last year by Japanese outfit The Vertigos.

Boy One - Broken Skies (Self-Released)

17 January 2020

Writer Kevin Burke discusses the latest video-single by Boy One, the brainchild of Irish music legend Brian Foley, “Broken Skies” is a tribute to the climate activists of the world

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Live In Adelaide ’19, Live In Brussels '19, Live In Paris ’19 (Proceeds To Wildfire Rescue)

17 January 2020

The exceptional King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have just unleashed three live albums on Bandcamp. With 100% profits going directly to the Australian Bushfire Relief fund.

Pet Shop Boys - Hotspot (Kobalt Label Services)

16 January 2020

On January 24, the Pet Shop Boys will release Hotspot. It is not the work of a band reinventing the wheel, but using the extent of their knowledge to build a work of contemporary,  outstanding music.

Anton Barbeau - Presente: Kenny Vs.Thrust (Big Stir Records) 

14 January 2020

On January 24, Anton Barbeau will release his latest work Kenny Vs. Thrust. What is pitted as the first go-to release of 2020 delivers on the promise, and then some.

The Cure – 40 Live: Curætion + Anniversary (Eagle Vision)

11 January 2020

To mark four decades as a live band, Robert Smith and the Cure staged two ambitious concerts during the summer of 2018. Of the 57 songs split across the shows, only seven are repeated. One performance offers a deep dive into the Cure’s evolution, and the other is a career-defining celebration.

Ambulette - Too Bad About All Your Problems (Self-Released) 

11 January 2020

Atlanta based Ambulette present their debut Ep Too Bad About All Your Problems, a work that is undeniably addictive, and even springs nostalgia from unexpected places

Robertas Semeniukas - Backstage Stories (Self-Released)

9 January 2020

The album comes off like the work of one man who clearly knows his music history, and it’s a tribute to the bands that have inspired him the most, while putting his own unique spin on his influences.

Snowgoose - Hope (Glass Records Modern)

8 January 2020

Snowgoose release “Hope” on February 20, the first insight to their upcoming sophomore album The Making of You.

Gene Clark - No Other | Super Deluxe (4AD)

7 January 2020

In late 2019, 4AD reissued Gene Clark’s No Other on various formats, a masterpiece which is thankfully no longer lost.

Norman - Buzz And Fade (Hey Amigo Recording Co.) 

7 January 2020

As 2020 begins one of the most sublime albums released in 2019, Buzz And Fade by Norman, sets a high bar for the year to come. 

Pastor – Unveil [Self-Released]

2 January 2020

Based out of Vienna, Austria, Pastor has bestowed their final release Unveil. Six originals plus one cover of riff-heavy, galloping songs, Pastor do not hide their influences

James Clarke Five - Parlour Sounds (The Beautiful Music)

1 January 2020

A look at the latest by The James Clarke Five Parlour Sounds, an album which has the words ‘modern classic’ tattooed on it’s very core.

Jenn Vix - 6

Jenn Vix - 6 (Umbrella Music)

31 December 2019

Moving from Blade Runner lullabies to upbeat electroclash lounge, 6 is sort of a Soft Cell shimmer over a Casio pop aesthetic, but with way more colors than basic black.

The Toms - The 1979 Sessions (Futureman Records)

31 December 2019

Songwriter and musician Tommy Marolda has just released a fourteen-track set of demos in The Toms The 1979 Sessions. A release which is on par with the self-titled Toms debut

Empty City Squares - 337 (Self-Released)

30 December 2019

New Jersey based Empty City Squares release the long-player 337, an album that delves deeper into the influences of Yanni, taking further steps into forging his own unique style

LITHICS - Wendy Kraemer EP (Moone Records)

28 December 2019

On February 7 next, LITHICS re-release the sublime The Wendy Kraemer Ep on vinyl via Moone Records,

Lloyd Meadows - Oxford Synthesiser Club Ep (The Beautiful Music) 

27 December 2019

Lloyd Meadows, the Australian multi-instrumentalist releases Oxford Synthesiser Club Ep. An outing with ideas galore and executed with a stylish confidence.

Shplang - Los Grandes Excritos {1994-2019} (Futureman Records/Big Stir Records)

27 December 2019

Shplang release a silver anniversary collection, Los Grandes Excritos {1994-2019}. A definitive view into the magnificence of this power pop outfit.

Liila Jokelin - Kaamos on huono esileikki

Liila Jokelin - Kaamos on huono esileikki (Helmi Levyt Finland)

23 December 2019

Behind her impassioned, one-of-a-kind voice and idiosyncratic songs, Helsinki, Finland singer/guitarist Jokelin’s solo debut Kaamos has a distinctive ambience that is enticing and transcendent.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys: 50th anniversary (Craft)

21 December 2019

Craft celebrates the 50th birthdays of CCR’s classic third and fourth albums with heavyweight LP reissue.

Lulu Lewis - Genuine Psychic

Lulu Lewis - Genuine Psychic (Ilegalia)

19 December 2019

Fronted by vocalist Dylan Hundley and multi-instrumentalist Pablo Martin (The Du-Rites/Tom Tom Club), this self-styled NYC post-punk band released this LP on their own Ilegalia imprint.

Toto – 40 Tours Around the Sun (Eagle Vision/Universal)

16 December 2019

This live set of hits and fan favorites finds founding Toto members including guitarist Steve Lukather, keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and keyboardist/singer David Paich celebrating the band’s 40-plus year legacy of blending slick pop-soul, technical chops, and hard rock.

Los Lobos – Llegó Navidad (Rhino)

16 December 2019

Just Another Band from East L.A. unwraps a new holiday classic.

London After Midnight - Selected Scenes From The End of the World: 9119 (Darkride Records)

14 December 2019

Kevin Burke looks at the anticipated reissue of London After Midnight’s incendiary debut, along with sharing an insight into modern Goth from front man Sean Brennan

Mal Waldron Trio - Free At Last (Extended Edition) (ECM)

13 December 2019

This record’s return to the spotlight as a double-vinyl reissue, with bonus tracks, is well-deserved – not just because of its status as ECM’s debut, but simply because it’s an excellent record in its own right.

Hollis Brown-Ozone Park

Hollis Brown - Ozone Park (Cool Green)

12 December 2019

This Queens, NY quintet’s fifth album dispenses with the too-conventional, leisurely-paced country/roots-rock that dominated their last LP, 2015’s 3 Shots, in favor of more buoyant, vivacious playing and arrangements.

Julia Hülsmann Quartet - Not Far From Here (ECM)

12 December 2019

For her tenth album Not Far From Here, German pianist Julia Hülsmann expands her working trio (herself, bassist Marc Muellbauer, drummer Henrich Köbberling) to a quartet with the addition of tenor saxophonist Uli Kempendorff. Though, as leader of the band, Hülsmann sets the agenda, this group is a true collective, with each member bringing tunes to the table.

Right Hand Left Hand - Zone Rouge (Bubblewrap Collective)

11 December 2019

Right Hand-Left Hand release the relevant, and conceptual Zone Rouge. What appears heavy on context becomes easy on the ear very quickly

Matthew Shaw - Into The Unknown (Glass Records Modern) 

10 December 2019

On January 10, 2020, Matthew Shaw will release a work of adventurous beauty with Into The Unknown.

Big Stir Singles - The Fourth Wave (Big Stir Records)

10 December 2019

Los Angeles based Big Stir Records release a collection of thrillers, not just a showcase of talent but a charity based effort.

Ghost Rhythms - Live at Yoshiwara (Cuneiform)

10 December 2019

Live at Yoshiwara is music made at a high level, but with an accessibility and humor that makes it cracking entertainment as much as high art.

Rob Alexander - Being Myself (Self-Released)

9 December 2019

Indebted to his heroes, Rob Alexander nevertheless continues to prove that he has his own distinct voice with Being Myself.

Sonar with David Torn - Trancesportation (Volume 1) (RareNoise)

9 December 2019

Swiss quartet Sonar takes a unique approach to its music by tuning all of its guitars and bass to tritones, also known as augmented fourths.

The Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed deluxe 50th ann. box (ABKCO)

5 December 2019

The rivalry between the Rolling Stones and the Beatles may have been almost entirely fictional (Paul McCartney has called it “fake news” at concerts since the 2016 presidential election), but that doesn’t mean the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band would allow the Beatles 50th anniversary celebration of Abbey Road to go unanswered.

Live at Home

James Brown – Live at Home with His Bad Self (Republic/UMe)

25 November 2019

The Godfather of Soul sets the stage on fire. Funky nirvana ensues.

The Rolling Stones – Bridges to Buenos Aires (Eagle Rock/Universal)

25 November 2019

Rack Bridges to Buenos Aires alongside Bridges to Bremen, No Security and concert film Bridges to Babylon Tour ’97–98 for a broad overview of a year when the Rolling Stones circled the globe and played to well over four million fans. This set’s highlights set Bridges to Buenos Aires apart.