VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Recordings continues its year-long centennial celebration of one of the 20th century’s most important cultural icons—trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis—with a brand-new box set, Miles ’56: The Prestige Recordings. Building upon Craft’s GRAMMY® Award-winning Miles ‘55 release, this latest collection focuses on Davis’ 1956 sessions for Prestige Records, which resulted in such landmark albums as Cookin’, Relaxin’, Workin’, and Steamin’, and features an all-star line-up of talent, including John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, Art Taylor, Paul Chambers, Tommy Flanagan, and Philly Joe Jones.

Arriving on June 19, Miles ‘56 will be available as a limited-edition 4-LP box set, a 3-CD set, and in Hi-Res digital. All audio was transferred from the original analog tapes and meticulously restored by Plangent Processes. The collection was remastered by GRAMMY Award-winning engineer Paul Blakemore and lacquers were cut for the 180-gram vinyl LP edition by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. Produced by Nick Phillips, both physical editions include a new essay by GRAMMY Award-winning music historian Ashley Kahn.

Track notes by the late Dan Morgenstern, a GRAMMY Award-winning jazz historian and archivist, add additional insight into the 70-year-old recordings. Additionally, a limited run of merchandise featuring the iconic artwork from Workin’, Cookin’, Relaxin’, and Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet will be available exclusively through the Craft store.

For trailblazing trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis (1926–1991), 1956 was a pivotal year, centered around his first consistent group, The Miles Davis Quintet. Formed just a few months earlier, the band—known as the “First Great Quintet”—featured a who’s who of rising stars, including tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Together, they would become a defining force of the hard bop era.

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Celebrating Robert Smith in advance of his 67th birthday tomorrow. —Ed.

Forty-six or so years after releasing their 1979 debut Three Imaginary Boys, and sixteen years after releasing their last album, 2008’s 4:13 Dream, The Cure did something my Robert Smith-phobic friends dreaded they’d do–came back. Those sixteen years had led many to hope Smith’s Reign of Mope was over. They were wrong and I’m glad, because 2024’s Songs of a Lost World isn’t just a great comeback album–it’s a great album period.

A masterpiece even. And who releases a masterpiece almost half a century into their career? It’s a miracle, really.

Songs of a Lost World is powered by big, ambitious, and somber yet soaring songs, and it’s tremendous despite the fact that there isn’t a single giddy-making pop confection like “Just Like Heaven” or “Friday I’m in Love” or “In Between Days” on it. Instead, Songs of a Lost World is a somber, emotionally and musically powerful meditation on growing old—that lost world in the title is the one we’re living in and losing, day by passing day, as we close in on death.

Songs of a Lost World is near perfect—symphonic, dramatic (natch), and replete with long and lovely instrumental introductions. But it’s not without its rock pleasures—Reeves Gabrels (of Tin Machine fame) makes sure of that with some astounding guitar work, especially on electric powerhouses “Warsong” and “Drone:Nodrone.” And Jason Cooper’s drumming is John Bonham heavy.

As for Smith, he’s in amazing voice—think about someone like Bob Dylan and then think about how Smith doesn’t sound like he’s aged a year. The man is growing old (66) and has intimations of mortality on his mind, and he’s not just contemplating his own demise—one of the more powerful songs on the LP (“I Can Never Say Goodbye”) is about the death of his brother.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Local H today have announced the 30th anniversary reissue of their iconic, breakthrough album As Good As Dead, out this summer via G&P Records. Originally released in 1996, the reissue is band-approved and features a brand new remaster. Featuring seminal tracks (“Bound For The Floor,” “Eddie Vedder,” “Hi-Fiving MF,” and more), exclusive artwork, and surprise extras—this is the ultimate edition of this essential classic. The As Good As Dead 30th Anniversary Edition is available now for pre-order.

On the heels of successful tours with Everclear and Filter, Local H will also be embarking on a full US tour with Toadies, including dates at NYC’s Webster Hall (5/21), Chicago’s Vic Theatre (5/31), LA’s The Belasco (6/13), and more.

Guitarist/vocalist Scott Lucas explains: “I never really used to care about the past. For me, it was always about moving forward. ‘Don’t look back’ and all that. And when it came to As Good As Dead, I had even more of a ‘fuck that’ attitude towards it.

Lately though, I’ve learned to relax about it. I’ve come to appreciate people’s personal affection for it. Especially the younger people who have been coming to the shows the last couple of years. They’re still excited about the record and their excitement is infectious.

But earlier this year, I was rather rudely awakened to how little respect others have for the record. And how little respect they have for our role in creating it. Big surprise! There’s a whole cottage industry of people—who have absolutely NO ties to the bands—putting out substandard releases of their records. And we’ve got no say in the matter.

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Remembering James Chance, born on this date in 1953. —Ed.

Of all of the bands that came out of New York City’s No Wave music scene, my faves have always been James Chance (aka James White) and the Contortions. The Contortions combined the atonal jazz skronk of Chance’s blurting and squealing alto saxophone with broken-glass-sharp shards of guitar, played atop one very funky bottom. I preferred Chance because you could actually dance to his music, agitated as it was, because in his own special way he never abandoned that James Brown groove—he just tortured it a bit.

How Chance’s sax stands up to that of “serious” jazz players is open to debate; while he briefly studied under the great David Murray, I think of Chance as an outlier, what with his brief tenure in Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, James Brown screams, nihilistic world view, and frequently antagonistic interactions with the very people who paid money to see him play live. These very “punk” attributes certainly separated him from the likes of his free jazz contemporaries, whose style he incorporated into his own playing. But the bottom line, when it comes to comparisons between Chance and the many other purveyors of free jazz is this: Can the guy actually play his horn, of is he just one very ballsy but amateurish poseur?

I asked my brother Jeffrey, a world-renowned free jazz expert, and this is what he said: “Regarding James Chance, I’m not quite sure where to rank him. Sonically, his alto falls neatly in the Luther Thomas/Noah Howard/Albert Ayler range. Chops-wise, I don’t think there’s a big enough pool of recorded material, especially material where he really stretches out, to see how good he really is, or could have been. That said, I think he’s ridiculously interesting, and captivating, as a soloist. What may have started as a joke, or a goof, very well could have morphed into something far greater.

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A look at events across the globe today.

Milton Keynes, UK | Biggest Record Store Day yet planned for Off the Record MK this Saturday: Willen Hospice’s independent music shop, Off the Record, is proud to be part of Record Store Day 2026 this Saturday (18 April), with more than 800 limited-edition albums on offer. Record Store Day is a global, annual event celebrating the culture, community and creativity that independent record shops bring to towns and cities. It features exclusive releases, live performances and special promotions that bring music fans together. Based in Midsummer Place, Off the Record will once again be opening early at 8am on Record Store Day to offer music fans exclusive, limited-edition vinyl releases on a first-come, first-served basis.

Madison, WI | How Madison’s record stores prepare for vinyl’s biggest day: Evan Woodward remembers rifling through crates of records at Strictly Discs during Record Store Day, before he started working there in 2010. “It wasn’t like what it is now,” he recalled. “There aren’t any other days like this.” Now Strictly Discs’ manager, Woodward pores over Excel spreadsheets listing thousands of records the store will receive in anticipation of the day, which takes place on April 18. He and the Strictly team need to catalog and alphabetize the anticipated 3,300 records they’ll receive, then set up and break down the staging area they’ll assemble on the block as people line up to nab exclusive releases. …Preparing for the day requires months of work. “It’s a big effort that just a small number of people are doing,” said Woodward. “It’s kind of like an extreme version of our job.” He estimates around 2,000 people will come through Strictly Discs’ doors on the 18th.

Phoenix, AZ | Record Store Day 2026 is almost here. How to celebrate in Phoenix: …The annual celebration is back for its 19th year on Saturday, April 18, taking place at independent brick-and-mortar record stores around the world, including many here in metro Phoenix. This year’s Global Record Store Day Ambassador is Bruno Mars, who happens to be playing two concerts in Glendale as we head into the weekend. In announcing his ambassadorship in a video shared on social media, shot at Moondog Records in Las Vegas, Mars shared some thoughts on what makes record stores so special. “Why record stores are so important is because you get the chance to immerse yourself, surround yourself with music,” he said. “I love being able to physically be surrounded by music. Not just staring at your phone and downloading something or listening to something on your phone, but to actually see all of this beautiful art around you. It inspires me.”

London, UK | All the London record shops taking part in Record Store Day 2026 (and the best deals): Time Out’s guide to the most unmissable Record Store Day events in London on Saturday April 18 2026, from free vinyl giveaways to club nights. When Record Store Day started out in 2007, it really did feel like vinyl might be on the way out: thousands of independent music traders were closing their doors as fans fled to cheaper (but less magical) digital ways of consuming their fave bands. These days, it’s more like a victory lap for the fantastic record shops that have created whole scenes around themselves, and become sites of pilgrimage for loyal customers. This year’s event falls on Saturday April 18, and as ever, it’ll be a stellar excuse to beat a path towards your local store for exclusive releases, and perks including free bevvies.

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It’s that time of year again.

Record Store Day is Saturday, April 18, and if you know, you know—the lines, the crates, the early morning coffee runs, the thrill of walking out with something you’ve been hunting for. There’s nothing else quite like it in the music world.

But every year, RSD also attracts a new wave of listeners just getting started. First-timers. People who’ve been meaning to set up a turntable for years and finally pulled the trigger. And the question they’re all asking is the same one it’s always been: Where do I even start?

For a lot of those listeners, the answer starts with Audio-Technica. Founded in 1962 by Hideo Matsushita out of a small Tokyo apartment, the company has spent over six decades doing one thing exceptionally well—making great audio accessible to everyone. Turntables, cartridges, headphones, microphones. Bedroom setups and broadcast booths. If you’ve been in this hobby for any length of time, you already know the name.

Ahead of Record Store Day, I got my hands on two of their latest: the AT-LP70XBT Bluetooth turntable and the AT-SP3X powered speakers. I also sat down with Kurt Van Scoy, Audio-Technica’s VP of Products, Business Alliances & Marketing, to talk about where the company came from, what these products are built to do, and what he makes of the vinyl moment we’re all living through right now.

No frills on the packaging—just clean, functional, and everything well protected inside. Directions were right there, easy to follow. Audio-Technica isn’t trying to sell you an unboxing experience. They’re trying to sell you a turntable. I respect that.

First thing I noticed out of the box: lighter than I expected. But don’t let that fool you—this thing is well built. Solid, confident, no wobble or flex anywhere. The hinged dust cover snapped on first try. No fussing, no loose hinges, no missing hardware. If you’ve ever wrestled with a budget table’s dust cover, you know exactly why that matters.

Setup, for a small home office situation, was genuinely painless. The AT-LP70XBT pairs over Bluetooth—no additional wires required—and the connection established quickly and without drama. In an era where “easy setup” is a marketing promise that often proves aspirational rather than accurate, this one delivered. The turntable was spinning within minutes of coming out of the box.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Recordings celebrates the 25th anniversary of Drowning Pool’s Platinum-selling debut, Sinner, with a limited-edition vinyl reissue and expanded digital release.

The 2001 album—the band’s only record to feature their original frontman, Dave Williams—includes such favorites as “Tear Away,” “Sinner,” and their signature hit, “Bodies.” Arriving June 5th and available for pre-order today, this special anniversary edition of Sinner is pressed on Sea Ink Swirl vinyl, while fans can also find exclusive pressings via Revolver (Clear Smoke vinyl) and through the band’s official website (Purple Smoke vinyl). The expanded digital release will be available on streaming sites, featuring “Bodies (Chris Vrenna’s XXX Tweaker Mix),” “The Man Without Fear (feat. Rob Zombie),” and “Break You (Demo),” the former of which is available to stream now.

Bestselling nu-metal band Drowning Pool was formed in Dallas in 1996 by guitarist C.J. Pierce, drummer Mike Luce, and bassist Stevie Benton—originally as an instrumental trio. Three years later, with the addition of singer Dave Williams, the band solidified their signature blend of hard-hitting guitar riffs, searing drums, and moody lyricism. As a four-piece, the band found immediate success, and, after touring alongside the likes of Sevendust, Kittie, and (hed)pe, they signed to Wind-up Records.

There, they entered the studio with producer Jay Baumgardner (Slipknot, Papa Roach, Godsmack) to work on their debut album. Focusing their songwriting around relationships and religion, the band found inspiration from the album’s lively opener and title track, “Sinner.” In an interview with MTV at the time, Williams shared, “It was just a natural progression that became the whole theme of the record. There are a lot of religious issues on the record and a lot of relationship issues. It just seemed like it would fit….We wanted to start with ‘Sinner’ and end with ‘Sermon.’ We covered all the bases….”

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Celebrating Andy Shernoff in advance of his 71st birthday Sunday.
—Ed.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but LPs? A whole different story. One glance at the cover of The Dictators’ 1975 debut Go Girl Crazy!—which features roadie turned singer and “Secret Weapon” Handsome Dick Manitoba hamming it up in a wrestling outfit and a 200-watt smile, resplendent in Jewfro and dark sunglasses, an outrageous red glitter jacket bearing his name hanging from a gym locker nearby—and you know you’re in the presence of something truly outrageous and great.

Oh, how I love The Dictators. The New Yawk proto-punkers may have produced only one brilliant LP, namely Go Girl Crazy! (which sold like shit), but talk about influential; you can draw a direct line between it to The Ramones and straight to The Beastie Boys. All three bands have the same smartass “fight for your right to party” punk attitude; they all deliver tons of snotty and hilarious one-liners; and they all use great guitar riffs to deliver the goods. If The Ramones (who later did a version of “California Sun” off Go Girl Crazy!) and The Beastie Boys didn’t cop their entire shtick from The Dictators’ debut, I’m Michael Bolton, mulleted version.

But to be honest I don’t give a shit whether Go Girl Crazy! was the Sgt. Pepper of proto-punk and the Rosetta Stone for hundreds of bands that came later. All that matters to me is that Go Girl Crazy! is one of the rockingest, funniest, and most gleeful albums ever made. And it’s good-natured, too. I used the word “snotty” above, but The Dictators are a friendly lot, and as a result get away with a lot. You would expect songs like “Master Race Rock” and “Back to Africa” to be prime examples of the deliberate punk outrage, but both turn out to be just the opposite of what they appear to be, namely funny and friendly. Why, these guys don’t even swear; co-lead vocalist Andy “Adny” Shernoff says “heck!”

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi), the leader in high-fidelity audio reissues, is proud to announce the first-ever audiophile edition of My Morning Jacket’s critically revered 2005 album, Z, available in two formats.

Ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and by Pitchfork as one of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s, Z arrives in two definitive formats. The UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set is strictly limited to 2,500 numbered copies and features custom art developed in collaboration with the band. The numbered Hybrid SACD, also limited to 2,500 copies, is housed in mini-LP-style gatefold packaging. Both editions include the bonus track “Where to Begin.”

Both reissues are sourced from the original 1/2” / 15 IPS / Dolby SR analog master tapes, presenting John Leckie’s outstanding 2005 production with previously unheard openness and presence. By tamping down the group’s then-signature reverb, Leckie helped the ensemble (Jim James, Tom Blankenship, Patrick Hallahan, and then-newcomers Carl Broemel and Bo Koster) push beyond Southern-styled rock and rustic balladry of its earlier LPs into a realm of cosmic textures and organic warmth. These artistic shifts, captured over two decades ago, are now rendered with a transparency that allows the near-infinite tonality of the guitars and the subtle nuances of James’ falsetto to shine.

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Los Altos, California’s Chocolate Watch Band were not a bubblegum act—their rough edges and maniacal R&B led one critic to dub them America’s Rolling Stones—but they sure got whored out as one.

On the band’s first two studio LPs, their villainous producer Ed Cobb thought nothing of turning them into a psychedelic garage Milli Vanilli, using the band on a few songs, while either using another band altogether on other songs or replacing snot-nosed vocalist Dave Aguilar, who may well have been in another state altogether when the songs were recorded, with a ringer named Don Bennett on others.

On 1967’s No Way Out, you need a scorecard (and do some internet sleuthing) to figure out which songs actually featured the band and/or Aguilar. Things aren’t quite as difficult on the band’s 1968 sophomore LP, The Inner Mystique, but Cobb’s machinations are every bit as egregious.

On side one, the actual Chocolate Watch Band are MIA, while on two of the songs on the far superior second side, Cobb (who also produced The Standells and wrote “Dirty Water,” as well as “Tainted Love”!) swapped out Aguilar’s vocals for Bennett’s.

Why? Because he could. And it’s not like you don’t notice. Aguilar’s vocals are grease-caked, garage floor sleazy; Bennett, who would later adopt the name Prince Teddy (and record an obscure 1977 LP under that name), was an African-American whose voice is a bigger, blunter instrument. And the psychedelic pastiches on side one are largely wastes of space.

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