The Allman Brothers Band – The Fox Box 8xCD (Peach Records)
The Fox Box is an eight-disc set of The Allman Brothers performing three-nights September 24th -26th, 2004 at the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA.

B.o.B. – Ether CD (No Genre)
New album from the rapper featuring Ty Dolla $ign, T.I. Lil Wayne, and more.

Zac Brown Band – Welcome Home CD (New Elektra)
“Zac Brown isn’t just trying to sell records, he’s selling a way of life, a Southern Fried way of life, and he’s doing it very successfully. He and his band are as tight as a small community and they play a highly professional, appealingly commercial country style. His voice is a warm, comforting aubergine and the tunes are homespun and inclusive. There was a feeling they over elaborated on their last couple of albums, so on Welcome Home they are back to the simplicity of their breakthrough, The Foundation, with some songs completed in one take. It’s very skillfully produced and very easy on the ear.” – The Afterword. [Vinyl edition due June 30th.]

Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up On Love CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Memphis soul original and Hi Records hit man Don Bryant returns to music with Don’t Give Up On Love. Recorded in honor of his wife of 43 years, the soul legend Ann Peebles, the collection is Bryant’s first release in decades. From the opening vamps of the classic “A Nickel And A Nail,” it’s evident that Don Bryant, at 74 years old, is in prime fighting shape and as versatile a performer as ever – sensual and expressive on “It Was Jealousy,” swaggering and suave on “One Ain’t Enough,” and swept up by the grandeur of the Almighty on “How Do I Get There?” These ten songs – including seven Bryant-penned originals – show a soul survivor in action, exhibiting the kind of sharp vocal acumen that can only be honed by years spent on the road and in the studio. Continue reading →

Afghan Whigs – In Spades CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
From its evocative cover art to the troubled spirits haunting its halls, In Spades casts a spell that challenges the listener to unpack its dark metaphors and spectral imagery. On the one hand, it is as quintessentially Afghan Whigs as anything the group has ever done – fulfilling its original mandate to explore the missing link between howling Midwestern punk like Die Kreuzen and Hüsker Dü, The Temptations’ psychedelic soul symphonies, and the expansive hard-rock tapestries of Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. At the same time, this new record continues to push beyond anything in the Whigs’ previous repertoire – another trademark, along with the explosive group dynamic captured on the recording. “This is the first time since Black Love [the Whigs’ 1996 noir masterpiece] that we’ve done a full-blown band album,” Greg Dulli says. The joys, sorrows, and upheavals of innocence and experience echo throughout In Spades: it powerfully documents where The Afghan Whigs have been, and where they might go next.

At The Drive-In – in·ter a·li·a CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)
“Ever had that feeling when introducing a friend to a band you love – the envy that they get to discover them for the first time, to hear it with fresh ears? Well, At The Drive In are making a comeback almost two decades after Relationship Of Command with in•ter a•li•a. It feels like in•ter a•li•a quite literally picks up where At The Drive In left off, with familiar chord attacks from Omar Rodriguez Lopez and the yelping emotion of Cedric Bixler. ‘No Wolf Like The Present’ and leading single ‘Governed By Contagions’ could have come directly from the band’s 2000 release, with the exception of the slightly more solid production. It’s still got the post-‘90s prog obsession, but it’s been cleaned up a bit.” – Skateism. [Limited color vinyl pressing also available.]

Big Walnuts Yonder – Big Walnuts Yonder CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
Big Walnuts Yonder is bassist/vocalist Mike Watt (Minutemen, The Stooges), guitarist Nels Cline (Wilco, Nels Cline Singers), drummer Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) and guitarist/vocalist Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos). It is not a supergroup. It’s worlds colliding, says Mike Watt. Four exceptional musicians whose work spans multiple genres and generations, Big Walnuts Yonder is a monumental endeavor that’s more than the sum of its parts. The results are a truly epic album defying categorization, where one might hear elements of proto-punk, free jazz, power pop, experimental music, psych-rock and your first teenage acid trip all in one. Continue reading →

All That Remains – Madness CD (Razor & Tie)
Madness is the eighth studio album by All That Remains and it was produced by Grammy award winning Howard Benson (Halestorm, In Flames, Chris Cornell) and co-produced by Mike Plotnikoff. This album is full of undeniable hooks, incisive riffs, electronic samples and a variety of vocal styles. Integrating personal experiences, political rants and controversial commentary with music that s just as confrontational, Madness is an unapologetic showcase of honesty and ingenuity. All That Remains have created 50 minutes of attitude-laden music with a combination of rock, metal, ballads, and a cover of “Thunder Rolls” by Garth Brooks. [Vinyl edition due May 12th.]

Between The Buried & Me – Coma Ecliptic Live CD+DVD+Blu-ray (Metal Blade)
Between The Buried & Me performed their 2015 Coma Ecliptic in its entirety live on October 4, 2016 at The Observatory North Park in San Diego, CA.

Birkin/Gainsbourg – Birkin Gainsbourg Le Symphonique 2xCD/2xLP (Warner Classics/Parlophone)
Jane Birkin’s symphonic tribute to Serge Gainsbourg.

Mary J. Blige – Strength Of A Woman CD (Capitol)
The 13th album from the R&B singer/songwriter includes guest appearances by Kanye West, Quavo, DJ Khaled, Missy Elliot, Prince Charlez, and Kaytranada.

BNQT – Volume 1 CD/LP (Dualtone)
“BNQT is billed as the new supergroup, although that seems a little grandiose a term for a project fashioned out of the remnants of moderately successful indie bands you probably remember from your teens. This effort sees Midlake’s Eric Pulido (supported by McKenzie Smith, Joey McClellan and Jesse Chandler) merge with Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle, and Travis’ Fran Healy. Volume 1 sounds very much like you would imagine music made by a mash-up of late ’90s-early-2000s indie groups might sound: meandering and nostalgic with a clean, crisp production that really showcases the instrumentals.” – Loud & Quiet Continue reading →