The Rides - Pierced Arrows
Separated in age by a musical generation but bonded by a mutual love of classic cars and the blues, Stephen Stills and Kenny Wayne Shepherd join forces with Chicago rock/blues keyboardist Barry Goldberg – to launch the trio’s band The Rides – which Stills dubs “the blues band of my dreams,” built to last beyond the concept of a one time all-star gathering, propelled by the explosive rhythm section of bassist Kevin McCormick and Shepherd’s longtime drummer Chris Layton (also a veteran of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble).
The Rides - Virtual World
The Dandelion Set – A Thousand Strands
This is the debut long-player from The Dandelion Set, a new collaboration between Glyn 'Bigga' Bush (Lightning Head, Rockers Hi Fi) and PK Chown (James Beige, Mr Liquorice). The album travels back to their formative years in the mid-70s, with sleevenotes, lyrics and vocals by cult writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, V For Vendetta, Promethea) as well as passing a whole cavalcade of musical landmarks en route to their present day compositions. Given this historical perspective it's not surprising that the album has its own unique spin on the heady world of Krautrock, psychedelia, radiophonics, library music and electronica.
Julianna Barthwick - Will
Julianna Barwick’s revelatory third album departs from 2013’s Nepenthe and is a cathartic collision of sharp and soft textures that sounds ominous and restorative all at once with sawtooth synth sounds paired with layered vocals.
Julianna Barthwick - Nebula
Shit Robot - What Follows
Marcus Lambkin aka Shit Robot returns with his third full length album for DFA Records. The 11-track album features a stellar cast of guests collaborators including Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and DFA stablemates Museum Of Love and Nancy Whang, alongsideJay Green and leftfield fellow Dubliner New Jackson.
Shit Robot Featuring Nancy Whang - Lose Control
Joint Reissue Of The Week:
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker Deluxe Box Set
'Heartbreaker was hailed as a modern classic on its release in 2000, and now gets a lavish reissue on 4LP/DVD and 2CD/DVD Deluxe Editions. The album has been remastered by original producer Ethan Johns, and is accompanied by demos and unreleased outtakes along with a DVD featuring a film of the legendary New York show at the Mercury Lounge in October 2000 and a glossy booklet of rare and unseen photos plus Ryan Adams ephemera.
Ryan Adams - Locked Away (Outtake)
The Associates - Sulk (Expanded)
The Associates back catalogue gets a welcome bigging up this week with a 2CD reissue of Sulk being the pick. A band of angular unconventionality mixed with polished pop, Billy McKenzie's voice sounds as beguiling as ever with the second CD including alternative takes, demos and 12" mixes.
The Associates - Party Fears Two
This week (6 May release date) will also see new albums from Cyndi Lauper, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and the "physical release" (calm down, everyone) of something called Lemonade by a little-known and rarely publicised artist called Beyonce. If you'd like to comment on these, others, or any above then please do so below.
This week's selection is by Michael Moloney, aka llamalpaca from the vinyl-only record and design store, Chameleon with additions by The Landlord.
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