VIA PRESS RELEASE | With its inspired marriage of bossa nova and cool electronics, Bebel Gilberto’s acclaimed debut album, Tanto Tempo has perfectly captured the mood of the times.

Released by Crammed Discs in 2000 on its Ziriguiboom imprint, Tanto Tempo has become an international best seller, making it one of the most globally successful albums of Brazilian music ever. Produced by Suba (the São Paulo-based Serbian producer who tragically passed away just before the release of the album), and featuring collaborations with Amon Tobin, Mario Caldato, Chris Franck & Nina Miranda, and Thievery Corporation.

From the original press release: The album features guest appearances by prestigious musicians such as veteran pianist/arranger João Donato, guitarists Celso Fonseca and Luis do Monte, percussionists João Parahyba and Carlinhos Brown, drummer Robertinho Silva, and a couple of horn sections who play in a genuine ’70s samba-soul-funk style.

Tanto Tempo’s modernist angle is supplied by Suba’s typical arrangements and production, as well as by contributions from young electro-Brazilophiles such as Smoke City, Thievery Corporation, Beastie Boys producer Mario Caldato Jr., and Ninja Tune artist Amon Tobin.

Read More »

Remembering Gary Rossington, born on this day in 1951. —Ed.

It is my unreconstituted thunk that Lynyrd Skynyrd is America’s second greatest rock’n’roll band, right behind the Velvet Underground. Hyperbole? Mebbe. But during the four short years before fate shot their airship down, the Southern rockers produced a veritable shitload of immortal (and yes smart) tunes that I, for one, have been listening to with pleasure for decades.

1975’s appropriately titled Nuthin’ Fancy isn’t the best Skynyrd LP out there. It may even be the worst of the five albums the original Lynyrd Skynyrd—which is the only Lynyrd Skynyrd that matters—recorded between 1973 and 1977. It lacks the sublime touches that make Skynyrd’s first and second albums rock landmarks, and the assortment of to-die-for songs (“That Smell,” “One More Time,” “All I Can Do Is Write About It”) scattered throughout the two LPs that came after it. The way I see it, Nuthin’ Fancy only boasts two songs—I’m talking about “Saturday Night Special” and “Am I Losin’”—that are truly indispensible.

The biggest problem lies in the songs, natch, and the problem with the songs is that they were written in a rush, in the studio between tours. I’ll stand Ronnie Van Zant up against any American songwriter (exceptin’ B. Dylan) ever, but when it came to Nuthin’ Fancy he simply didn’t have the same amount of time he’d had to write such immortal tunes as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” or “Simple Man” from 1973’s (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) and 1974’s Second Helping. (Indeed, he’d never again have the time to sit down and do some leisurely songwriting during his lifetime, which is why Lynyrd Skynyrd was never able to top the transcendental brilliance of its first two LPs.)

Read More »

On Hold Fast, Mac Lloyd cuts deep. The multi-talented singer, songwriter, and producer delivers his most introspective and musically ambitious work to date, an album that fuses Blues grit, Neo-Soul warmth, and Americana storytelling into one emotionally charged package.

Lloyd’s baritone is a commanding presence throughout. Weathered yet expressive, equally at home soaring over smooth R&B soundscapes as it is growling through slide-guitar blues. His voice doesn’t just carry melodies; it carries the weight of lived experience.

Addiction, depression, fatherhood, grief, homelessness, Hold Fast is shaped by the difficult roads he’s walked, and his writing refuses to sanitize any of it. Yet this is not a record steeped in defeat. Instead, it’s about resilience, about McLeod family mottos, and the refusal to let hardship halt creativity or love.

While the subject matter often sits in the shadows, the production shines; lush, soulful layering contrasted with stripped-back vulnerability when the moment calls for it. Each track seems engineered to mirror the emotional arc of its lyrics: redemption comes with a groove, doubt hides behind warm harmonies, and every guitar bend feels like a breath drawn before pushing on.

Read More »

Any fan of solo guitar that’s not clued in to the Tompkins Square label’s long-running Imaginational Anthem series is in for an exquisite awakening. The most recent collection, Vol. XIV: Ireland is out now on vinyl (with a few test pressings still available) and compact disc. It’s an illuminating geographical dive assembled by the terrific Dublin-based guitarist Cian Nugent, who provides notes. Also, for those not yet hip to the Imaginational Anthem experience, the bundle of 12 volumes on CD (including this new one) is on sale through Bandcamp for a very affordable price.

To get right down to business, David Murphy has extensive session credits playing pedal steel, but only one album so far, Cuímhne Ghlinn: Explorations in Irish Music for Pedal Steel Guitar, released last year on vinyl by Rollercoaster Records. Murphy’s meditative and very pretty version of the traditional “The March of the King of Laois,” which serves as Vol. XIV’s opener appears to be an exclusive track.

Brendan Jenkinson has also played on a bunch of other people’s records, including a few as a keyboardist in the band of this album’s curator, Cian Nugent. Jenkinson’s original composition “Paris Blues” is a delightful serving of fingerpicking that should please fans of the American Primitive impulse that set the Imaginational Anthem series into motion.

The nimbleness of finger continues across “The Lark in the Morning,” a wonderfully warm interpretation of a traditional piece by Junior Brother, aka Ronan Kealy. As Junior Brother, Kealy has recorded three full-length albums and a bunch of EPs, with everything on vinyl.

Read More »

WORDS AND IMAGES: DANA WALSH IN AUSTIN, TX | Joe Bonamassa’s set at ACL Live flowed effortlessly, moving between loud, gritty, electrifying numbers and slower, more introspective, deeply emotional moments. But one thing remained constant: the music moved you. Surrounded by fellow blues-rock enthusiasts and musicians, all soaking up every note, it was easy to feel part of something bigger. Whether sitting or standing, everyone seemed fully immersed in the moment. It felt good—really good—to be there.

The night had it all: warmth, soul, and a musical pulse you could feel in your chest. If you were looking for a show that lifts the spirit and gets you grooving, this one delivered in full force. As someone who isn’t originally from Austin, nights like this remind me how lucky I am to live in a city where live music isn’t just entertainment—it’s a way of life. Every show feels like opening an extraordinary gift, and tonight’s performance was every bit as captivating. Music is alive in Austin in a way that feels constant and rare; it is the heartbeat of the city.

Being given the chance not only to attend the show but also to photograph it and write about it genuinely blew me away. Everything about the night felt as though it was meant to be. Despite forecasts of rain, the weather was perfect—cool air, a gentle breeze, and a clear sky. From leaving home to settling into my hotel afterward, the night flowed seamlessly.

Joe opened with “Breakthrough,” the title track from his latest album. The song bursts to life with bold, driving guitar, keys, and a tight rhythm section, combining to create a vibrant, catchy groove. His clear, confident vocals carry an uplifting message that immediately draws the listener in. A highlight was when Sue Foley joined him for “See See Baby.” She’s a powerhouse, and watching them trade energy on stage was electrifying, creating one of the night’s standout moments.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | To celebrate 45 years of one of post-punk’s most iconic albums, we’re proud to present a special anniversary edition of Tuxedomoon’s landmark release: Desire.

Out now on vinyl, CD, and digital, this new edition has been remastered from the original tapes and features three previously-unreleased tracks, two rare cuts and live versions, recollections and liner notes by Steven Brown, Gareth Jones (engineer and co-producer), John Foxx, plus writings from Blaine Reininger and Peter Principle (2015) and of course some archival photos and memorabilia.

Desire captures Tuxedomoon at their most cinematic and atmospheric. Its mood of haunted romanticism and its category-defying blend of music have kept it influential among generations of musicians exploring the intersections of rock, electronic music, cabaret, minimal, jazz, and classical music.

Desire was written just before the band’s relocation from San Francisco to Europe. It was recorded in the UK and released in 1981 on Ralph Records, The Residents’ own label, before being reissued in 1987 on CramBoy, the imprint created by Crammed Discs to host the band’s output.

Tuxedomoon’s considerable body of work (16 albums to date, with a new one currently in the works) remains unique, as relevant today as it’s ever been, thanks to the band’s visionary ability to transcend genres, and to the romantic, rebellious, and imaginative spirit which illuminates their music.

Read More »

A look back at what was in stores, and perhaps some of your scores.

Maybe the best Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 release was The Complete Elektra Albums from Love. The box set comprises five vinyl records, including the first four albums from the pioneering 1960s LA group, and a bonus disc of rarities. Love was one of the most important bands of the West Coast ’60s music scene, which had a devoted cult following that is nearly unequaled for that time and place.

The group was led by Arthur Lee, who, like Jimi Hendrix, was a black man whose sound was rooted almost entirely in rock. Signed by Jac Holzman of Elektra Records, the band was one of the first rock signings of the mostly folk and roots Elektra label, but it became overshadowed by the other rock signing of that period, The Doors.

Love’s self-titled debut, its first album in 1966, came out the year before the self-titled debut of The Doors. While it showed real rock muscle and had a garage sound with tinges of psychedelia to come, and included such superb covers as “Little Red Book” and “Hey Joe,” it was the group’s next album, Da Capo, also released in 1966, that was a revelation. Fully embracing subtle psychedelic touches, its baroque instrumentation and production, along with Lee’s emotive singing, made it an instant cult classic that has lost none of its luster nearly 60 years later.

However, this was truly a band, and key member Bryan MacLean’s contributions are significant, particularly on “Orange Skies.” Additionally, the production team, comprising engineers Bruce Botnick (who also co-produces) and Dave Hassinger, along with the production supervision of label boss Holzman, makes this a textbook on ’60s record-making. The group’s next album, Forever Changes (1967), was an even better release. While a long-extended jam took up all of side two of Da Capo, Forever Changes was an 11-track masterpiece.

Read More »

I recently spoke with Daniel Ash, musician, songwriter, and singer—and a founding member of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Love and Rockets.

Daniel and I talk about his electromagnetic tendencies, the formation of Bauhaus, his love of solitude and city, chrome, gear, how he first discovered the EBow, music he loves, and the Ashes and Diamonds album.

The new band consists of Daniel in his usual roles bringing his signature post-punk, glam and experimental style. He is joined by Bruce Smith on drums, programming, and backing vocals. Bruce is a veteran of Public Image Ltd. and The Pop Group. Paul Spencer Denman is on bass. Paul is best known as the bassist for Sade and Sweetback.

Ashes and Diamonds have released the single and video for “On A Rocka” whose video was directed by Jake Scott, and their latest single “Setting Yourself Up for Love.” The full album is out on Halloween through Cleopatra Records via streaming and limited edition vinyl. It’s all gorgeous!

Radar features discussions with artists and industry leaders who are creators and devotees of music and is produced by Dylan Hundley and The Vinyl District. Dylan Hundley is an artist and performer, and the co-creator and lead singer of Lulu Lewis and all things at Darling Black. She co-curates and hosts Salon Lulu which is a New York based multidisciplinary performance series. She is also a cast member of the iconic New York film Metropolitan.

On the scene in the Southern USA since the mid-’90s, Tyler Keith specializes in what one might call roots punk. He’s played in numerous bands and even released a few records under his own name along the way. His latest, I Confess, is the byproduct of tough personal circumstances. Faced with a lack of ducats, no musical compadres, and rising rent, Keith made a series of wise decisions; he grabbed his instruments, set up his 4-track, and cut a truly solo record in his kitchen. Raw and bluesy, the 12-song set is out now on vinyl and digital through Black & Wyatt Records.

Way back in the boom years of the 1990s, Tyler Keith’s band The Neckbones earned the distinction of being the first, and for a long while, the only rock band on the Fat Possum label. Garage punk was the style, and after The Neckbones finally snapped, Keith fronted the Preachers’ Kids for a handful of albums, then moved on to Tyler Keith & the Apostles and Teardrop City.

Under his own name, with backup, he recorded The Last Drag in 2020 and Hell to Pay in 2023. Now here comes I Confess, which is Keith going it wholly alone with appropriately crude overdubs in the spirit of dangerous times. Opener “Out on a Limb” rips right into high gear, dishing a jagged blues-rock grind with a legit air of desperation about it.

“Lost in the Desert” is a downright doomy journey into echo overload with convulsions of harmonica. “Buckskin Girl” sounds like a Nuggets-styled act that took a wrong turn and ended up playing their one song at gunpoint on the outskirts of some demented backwoods carnival. And then “Black Cloud Blues” takes a further offramp into acidic paroxysmal pessimism; it’s a bit like a late-night dark arts communion of John Lee Hooker and Jeffrey Lee Pierce.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | This year marks 45 years since the release of The Durutti Column’s landmark album The Return Of The Durutti Column. To celebrate, London Records release a very special reissue of the seminal Manchester band’s 1980 debut, out now and available to order here.

One of the first groups to be signed to the legendary Manchester label Factory Records in 1978, The Durutti Column took their name from Spanish Civil War anarchist Buenaventura Durruti and a 1960s Situationist comic strip. Having appeared on Factory’s inaugural release A Factory Sample (a double 7” compilation also featuring Joy Division, John Dowie, and Cabaret Voltaire), the band’s relationship with the label would endure for two decades and ten studio albums.

The Return Of The Durutti Column remains one of Factory’s most enduring and important works: fragile, otherworldly, and quietly radical. Produced by Martin Hannett, it showcased Vini Reilly’s distinctive, delicate guitar work against Hannett’s ambient textures, post-punk reverb, and glacial electronics. The 45th Anniversary Edition will be available in several formats:

The Deluxe Sandpaper LP, replicating the rare first pressing and limited to 500 numbered copies worldwide. Each sleeve has been spray-painted by hand with the original catalogue number, FACT 14. This edition includes a unique printed inner sleeve featuring an essay by Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, housed inside a protective outer cover. Available exclusively at store.the-durutti-column.com.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the reissue of Music by Lee Mason, the cult classic from the Chappell Recorded Music Library, originally released in the UK in 1971.

Credited to Lee Mason & His Orchestra, the album is in fact the work of renowned British composer and arranger Pete Moore—best known for producing the iconic “Asteroid” theme in 1968 for the Pearl & Dean cinema advertising company. One of the funkiest library albums of its era, blending cinematic tension, funky grooves, and jazzy undertones, Music by Lee Mason features the track “Shady Blues,” famously sampled by Madlib. Newly remastered and featuring liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre, this reissue brings a lost classic back to vinyl for the first time since 1971.

Recorded at the dawn of the prolific ’70s UK library music boom, Music By Lee Mason was part of the successful Chappell Recorded Music series—produced for television, film, and advertising professionals. Working under the “Lee Mason” alias, Pete Moore used the format to explore a wide palette of sounds: funky rhythm sections, fat horns, bumping bass lines, and catchy melodies that reveal both sophistication and swing.

​Across its eleven tracks, the album moves seamlessly between funky grooves, jazzy arrangements, and cinematic moods. “Shady Blues” in particular has become a cult favourite among crate-diggers, its slow-burning groove later sampled by Madlib for the Lootpack track “Answers” featuring Quasimoto, giving the piece new life in the spheres of hip-hop and digging culture.

Read More »