Gerald Albright – G CD (A Train Entertainment)
Once again Albright shows off on bass guitar while never letting you down with his own unique sound displayed on alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones.

Alcest – Kodama CD/LP/3xLP (Prophecy)
Kodama the fifth album from blackgaze pioneers, Alcest, marks the French duo’s ferocious return to the stylistic maximalism of it’s early albums while continuing the band’s relentless pursuit for new sounds and fresh ideas. “Kodama” is the Japanese word for ‘tree spirit’ and ‘echo’ and from the album’s structure and dynamics to its cinematic sound, Kodama indeed echoes Alcest’s 2010 classic, Écailles de Lune. [Limited Deluxe vinyl box edition also available (45RPM/ clear vinyl/etching) with six art prints and a lyric sheet.]

Banks – The Altar CD/LP (Harvest)
Goth R&B artist Banks follows up 2013′s brooding Goddess with her sophomore effort.

Brant Bjork – Tao Of The Devil CD (Napalm)
“Californian Mr. Bjork can be safely regarded as one of the pillars of the desert rock/stoner scene through his work with Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Mono Generator and so on. My slightly haphazard and inexpert expectations were met and exceeded. Tao Of The Devil is a solid rock album first and foremost. You don’t have to be a Kyuss consumer to enjoy this, just a consumer of well executed heaviness with stoner and blues goodness stirred in” – Midland Metalheads. [Limited blue color vinyl edition also available.] Continue reading →

Airbourne – Breakin’ Outta Hell CD/LP (Spinefarm)
Fourth album from the mighty bearers of the stadium-rock torch.

Allegaeon – Proponent For Sentience CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the Fort Collins, CO melodic death metal band. [Vinyl edition due October 7.]

Devendra Banhart – Ape In Pink Marble CD/LP (Nonesuch)
“In the three years since he released Mala, more and more artists have found space for themselves in the surrealist, freak-folk world Devendra Banhart has inhabited for over a decade. Smartly, instead of trying to shout over the din of a packed room, he dials things back, and Ape In Pink Marble feels inviting and intimate, if a bit somber. The album is one of his sparsest; most tracks subsist on little more than Banhart’s vocals and a few lines of intertwining guitar. Single ‘Middle Names’ is truly bewitching, a tribute to the lingering feeling of missed connections written about his friend Asa Ferry, the singer of Kind Hearts and Coronets, who passed away last year. The guitars sweep along the mix dutifully, but Banhart’s voice is mesmerizing, and his delicate intonation says as much as his atmospheric lyrics. It’s a stunning track that beautifully captures a sentiment often difficult to evoke.” – The Line Of Best Fit

Beach Slang – A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Polyvinyl)
Beach Slang’s sophomore album is a raucous collection of shout-along punk rock anthems anchored by frontman James Alex’s trademark heart-on-sleeve lyricism. “Alex opens Beach Slang’s fantastic new LP, A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings, by demanding that you play him something loud and fast and also ‘something that will always last.’ Typical rock & roll fare, in other words. And the band’s still playing music for those same outsiders. Alex’s worldview, however, isn’t an ‘Us v. Them’ mentality. Instead, he’s simply writing songs that say, ‘If you have unwavering faith that rock music can save your life, and your preferred hymn of choice is ‘Born To Run’ — welcome to our congregation’” – The Line Of Best Fit. [Limited blue color vinyl pressing also available.] Continue reading →

Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me CD/2xLP+MP3 (Total Treble)
Seventh full-length studio album from punk rock band, dropping right before lead singer Laura Jane Grace’s memoir titled Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout (due mid-November.) [Limited white color vinyl edition also available.]

Alex G – DSU CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Run For Cover)
Two years after its initial release on boutique Brooklyn label Orchid Tapes, Alex G’s fourth LP DSU is back in print across all formats. Considered by many to be the record that shone a spotlight onto the longtime lo-fi Bandcamp-favorite, DSU is an indie rock record empowered and enlightened by Alex Giannascoli’s bedroom-pop sensibilities.

Joey Alexander – Countdown CD (Motema)
New release from the 13-year-old jazz pianist. Joey Alexander’s jaw-dropping ability and beyond-his-years artistry brought him to some of the grandest stages, from performing at the Grammys and the White House, to appearing on The Today Show and 60 Minutes.

Devon Allman – Ride Or Die CD (Ruf)
Son of Greg Allman, Devon Allman’s new album Ride Or Die contains twelve soulful and powerful tracks that showcase Allman’s maturity as a songwriter.

Albert Ayler – Ghosts [Reissue/1965] CD (Skokiaan)
Ayler and his mates — Don Cherry on trumpet, Sonny Murray on drums and Gary Peacock on bass guitar — are definitely on par with the other free jazz gods like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman on this 1965 release. Continue reading →