VIA PRESS RELEASE | Ten years after its original release, Matador Records is reissuing Spoon’s beloved eighth album, They Want My Soul, on all digital platforms, with a 2xLP gatefold vinyl / 2xCD release to follow on November 8th.

Along with the record’s original ten tracks—including all-time Spoon classics “Inside Out,” “Do You,” and “Rent I Pay”—They Want My Soul: Deluxe More Soul Edition features 11 demos and alternate versions, almost all of them previously unreleased. The reissue underlines the album’s vaunted place amid one of rock’s most bulletproof catalogs and offers a glimpse at the creative process behind a pivotal moment in ongoing the Spoon story. Listen and pre-order physical HERE. Spoon has just kicked off its summer tour, with headline dates booked across the west coast, midwest, and Canada along with festival appearances at Chicago’s Riotfest and the Seattle area’s Thing Festival.

Following 2010’s Transference, Spoon was feeling spent. At that point, the band had released seven albums in 14 years while touring relentlessly and becoming an institution known for its minimalist grooves, jagged swagger, and superhuman level of quality control. But Transference, the follow-up to their 2007 breakout Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, was marked by a dubby mysteriousness that made it a harder sell for the masses that tuned-in to their horn-laden hit, “The Underdog.” Even though Transference was their highest-charting album to date, reaching No. 4, the overall reaction to it was relatively muted. A subsequent year of touring left the group, led by frontman Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, longing for a much-needed break.

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Cuneiform Tabs is the Bay Area-UK project of Matt Bleyle and Sterling Mackinnon, two indie scene long haulers whose self-titled debut album, a terrifically bent excursion into the land of lo-fi that’s spiked with uprisings of subterranean pop, was built the old-fashioned way; by trading tapes through the mail. Released on LP this past February in a tiny edition that sold out quickly, the lack necessitated Superior Viaduct subsidiary W.25TH to bring out a fresh pressing that’s due out August 9.

Matt Bleyle and Sterling Mackinnon have been in numerous bands prior to the formation of Cuneiform Tabs. Bleyle was in Abi Yoyos, Sopors, Rat Columns, Caged Animal, and Beatniks, while Mackinnon was in Broken Nobles, Holy Ghost Revival, and The False Berries. Most important is that Bleyle and Mackinnon played together up close in Violent Change; the name teases hardcore but the sound is indie rock, rough-edged and loose. With the duo spread out, Cuneiform Tabs takes a turn for the strange.

Opener “Healthy Reaction” is riff-laden but hazy and with the vocals pushed way back. Around mid-way through, there’s a jump cut into a loose drifting slow motion swirl, and then a fade out. “Penitence My Lord” begins as a slightly cleaner (but still substantially hissy) acoustic affair with addled echoey vocals and a ren faire folky vibe that’s fleetingly similar to a non-sexed-up version of first album Frogs.

“Gonged Fantasy” starts out with a mingled loop that’s suggestive of audio captured from the space ship in John Carpenter’s Dark Star, but then shifts into a lazy-day sunshiny psych-pop number with a judiciously applied sprinkling of crackle and glitchy fuzz. “I Think I Need You Tonight” is next, rising up with a song in progress and then dissipating just as quickly, only to reemerge as if the tape has been rapidly rewound and the volume turned up on an AM radio that’s wafting out a forgotten nugget of ’60s love ache.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings announce the first-ever vinyl release of Clint Mansell’s adrenaline-fueled score for Doom. This 2-LP set will be available on Green and Orange Smoke vinyl (in homage to the Doomguy’s suit colors) in North America, while the international edition is pressed on Black Ice vinyl. Releasing October 11th and available for pre-order today, Doom (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be available in a gatefold jacket featuring brand-new illustrations by acclaimed artist Micha Huigen on the cover and the inside of the package.

Doom (2005) is a horror sci-fi feature film adaptation of the hit game from id Software, starring Karl Urban, Rosamund Pike, and Dwayne Johnson (billed as The Rock). A team of marines are sent through a portal to a research facility on Mars, where they must battle demonic creatures which are revealed to be mutated humans from genetic experiments.

The action-packed romp features many nods to iconography of the Doom video games, creature designs by the legendary Stan Winston Studios and a lengthy first-person shooter sequence. The forward-thinking score by Clint Mansell elevated the tone and energy of the film by blending orchestration and electronics with authentic alt-rock elements, which crescendoed with a remix of the Nine Inch Nails song “You Know What You Are?.” Praised IGN, “When the score is raging and bombastic, clanking and thrashing metal, it is absolutely at its best.”

While Doom’s monsters and zombies are of alien origin, Mansell’s score hearkens to the games’ satanic birthplace of these beasts. The score smartly evolves from haunted house spookiness to balls-out action, all impeccably produced. “I wanted to sort of capture the adrenaline and that sort of metal thrash that goes with the game and world in my opinion. It’s like it needed something edgy,” Mansell commented on his creative process for the liner notes. “The original thought was to do a big orchestral score, and there is some orchestra in it, but it’s a very contemporary-type movie and the score needed to be contemporary, too.”

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Celebrating Rikki Rockett in advance of his birthdate tomorrow.
—Ed.

I finished this review only to discover–much to my chagrin-that I wrote one 3 years ago. Just more proof, as any were needed, that I have the memory of a house fly. In any event, this new review is 150 times better than the old one. Besides, all self-respecting music critics should return to this hair metal masterpiece every couple of years. It’s that great.

Judging by the Punky Meadows look-alike on the cover of their 1986 debut and the twin sister of Gene Simmons on their second, these Mechanicsburg chest waxers couldn’t decide whether they wanted to be Angel or Kiss, so they went ahead and bested both of ‘em. Glam metal idols in the days before Kurt Cobain placed former hairdresser Rikki Rockett’s skyscraper ‘do on the endangered species list, Poison packed enough hair to stuff a mattress into their metal and by so doing lubed the loins of a million girls itching to steal their makeup.

Had Poison been nothing more than a pretty pooch they’d have gone the way of Cats in Boots, and poor C.C. DeVille would have had to scuttle back to Three Mile Island with his poison blue Flying V guitar beneath his legs. But Poison had the skills to pay their thousand dollar spandex bills, and come Open Up and Say… Ahh! only Guns ‘N’ Roses had more powder in their pistol.

Counterintuitive as it sounds, there was an innocence to Poison’s twist on L.A. sleaze; unlike those moody social Darwinists Guns ‘N’ Roses (welcome to the jungle!), Poison believed in the power of positive partying. No appetite for destruction for these hair teasers; like Def Leppard, all they wanted was for you to pour some sugar on ‘em and lick it off.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Perhaps the greatest interpreter of salsa music, singer Héctor Lavoe (1946–1993) was instrumental in popularizing the genre during the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Known for his impeccably bright vocals, seamless phrasing, and ad-libbed anecdotes, it’s no surprise that Lavoe earned the nickname “El Cantante” after his 1978 hit of the same name (penned for him by the great Rubén Blades).

Born Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the singer relocated to New York City at 17, where he picked up his stage name and began performing in bands led by Roberto García, Kako, and Fania Records owner, Johnny Pacheco. It was through Pacheco that Lavoe met 16-year-old Willie Colón, with whom he would form one of Latin music’s most celebrated partnerships. Beginning in 1967, Lavoe appeared as a vocalist on ten legendary studio albums with the Willie Colón Orchestra, including the boogaloo classic, El malo (1967), plus best-sellers like Cosa nuestra (1969), Asalto Navideño (1971), and Lo mato (1973).

By the mid-’70s, however, Colón had shifted his focus to production, allowing Lavoe the opportunity to break out on his own. Salsa was reaching its peak popularity in the US, making it the perfect moment for the singer to carve out a spot as one of the genre’s biggest stars. His acclaimed, 1975 solo debut, La voz, was met with critical and commercial success—thanks to such breakout hits as “Mi gente” and “El todopoderoso.” With a newfound confidence, Lavoe returned to the studio for his sophomore album, De ti depende (It’s Up to You). But this time, he held the title of bandleader.

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If ever a mountain sculpture is dedicated to the groundbreaking masters of Minimalism, Terry Riley’s bearded mug will be amongst those chosen for the chiselers. An avant-gardist with unusually wide appeal and creative longevity, Riley’s approach remains distinctive even as he’s influenced thousands across numerous genres. Documenting a live performance at the Metamusik Festival in Berlin in 1975 and released by the Kuckuck label in 1982, Descending Moonshine Dervishes is not one of Riley’s most celebrated recordings, but it belongs in the discussion of his greatest works. Having reissued the album on vinyl in 2016, Beacon Sound of Portland, OR is offering a fresh edition on August 9.

Born on June 24, 1935 in Colfax, CA and thankfully still with us, Terry Riley is justly renowned for an innovative body of work that stemmed from the great 20th Century bohemian tradition. On the scene since the 1950s, Riley studied composition in the Bay Area where he met fellow Minimalist heavyweight La Monte Young; they both studied with Pandit Pran Nath, and Riley would go on to be an occasional member of Young’s legendary Theater of Eternal Music.

Along with such major avant-garde figures as Morton Subotnick, Pauline Oliveros, Jon Gibson, and Steve Reich, Riley was involved in the San Fransisco Tape Music Center. It was at the SFTMC that Riley premiered In C on November 4 and 6, 1964. Along with Riley, all the names at the top of this paragraph took part in those performances. For the Columbia Masterworks recording released in 1968, the personnel had shifted to include trumpeter Jon Hassell. Along with Riley (who played saxophone), trombonist Stuart Dempster was the only holdover from the SFTMC premiere.

That Tony Martin operated the light show for the In C premiere brings a bit of foreshadowing to Riley’s artistic pursuits. That is, the 1969 Columbia Masterworks release Rainbow in Curved Air was the Minimalist album of choice for many an adventurous hippie; sure, they likely just considered it “head music,” possibly getting turned onto it through a freeform station on the FM dial (in a long set that might’ve also included Sun Ra, Sandy Bull, Red Crayola, Soft Machine, and the United States of America. Those were the days).

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Latino proudly announces a special 50th anniversary reissue of one of salsa music’s most important albums, Celia & Johnny. The 1974 Vaya Records release, which pairs legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz with bandleader/producer/Fania co-founder Johnny Pacheco, established Cruz as a salsa icon, thanks to such enduring hits as “Toro mata” and “Quimbara.”

In stores October 11 and available for pre-order today, Celia & Johnny features all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, 180-gram vinyl and is housed in an old-school style tip-on jacket, replicating its original artwork. A 180-gram “Azul Real (Royal Blue)” color vinyl variant (limited to 300 copies), with a bundle option that includes a Vaya Records T-shirt, is available for pre-order at Fania.com. Additionally, the album will make its debut in 192/24 hi-res audio on select digital platforms on street date.

Celia & Johnny arrives as Craft Latino celebrates the 60th anniversary of Fania Records. Throughout the year, Craft Latino will honor the iconic label’s enduring legacy—as well as its foundational contributions to salsa music—through reissues such as this one, new releases, plus a host of exclusive content.

A special tribute event dedicated to Celia Cruz and Fania 60th anniversary celebration will be held on Saturday, August 3, at Grand Performances in Los Angeles. The free event begins at 6pm and features a live performance by Havana Secret led by maestros Luis Eric Gonzalez and Sean Billings, former members of Celia’s backing band in the West Coast; a DJ set by Gia Fu and dance lessons by the dance theater company Contra-Tiempo.

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Celebrating Kristin Hersh in advance of her birthday tomorrow.
—Ed.

In October 2013 Throwing Muses released their ninth album and first in ten years on CD in tandem with a book of photos, artwork, lyrics, and short essays by leader Kristin Hersh. An atypical yet smart combination. Intrigued parties who missed it should not dally to investigate, for it finds the three-piece of Hersh, drummer Dave Narcizo, and bassist Bernard Georges in skilled, vibrant form.

Another encroaching year’s end foretells many things, and a certainty is a surge of Best Lists. I enjoy reading them almost as much as writing them, as I’ve done a few times here at TVD. What’s important is to not take them too seriously, in part because nobody, not even rapscallions and dandies living lives of utter leisure, can absorb everything released across the span of a dozen calendar pages, and most assuredly not by the 31st of December.

For instance, I’ve just recently become acquainted, roughly 12 months after its emergence, with Throwing Muses’ outstanding Purgatory/Paradise. Now, I could chalk up the delay to the music’s unusual connection to the publishing industry described above, but that wouldn’t be accurate. I’ll simply confess to not keeping up with the singer-guitarist-bandleader’s activity post-University back in ‘95. As stated, one cannot hear it all. Bluntly, I’m very pleased to have belatedly caught up with this record.

Last year’s dual release is frankly a savvy idea, one I’m surprised hasn’t been employed with more frequency. And I do look forward to examining Purgatory/Paradise’s accompanying tome, for clearly the text will provide scores of insights into a rather unique collection; however, this review is specifically concerned with those 32 tracks. Not to worry, for their uniqueness stands up easily on its own.

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Trumpeter Howard McGhee was a vital figure in the emergence of bebop, a collaborator of Charlie Parker and a leader of distinction during the period when the formal parameters of the style were still being defined. Like many players, McGhee struggled with addiction, but his is not a tragic story; the peak of his comeback was 1961, the year Maggie’s Back in Town!! was released. Its 180 gram vinyl reissue is available August 9 through Craft Recordings’ Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds series.

After playing in regional bands, Howard McGhee landed a spot with Lionel Hampton in 1941 and quickly moved on to Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy, where he made his recording debut and was featured on “McGhee Special.” McGhee then joined the bands of Charlie Barnet, Georgie Auld, and Count Basie before relocating to California with Coleman Hawkins in 1945, where he played on some noteworthy (and still highly satisfying) sides with the tenor saxophonist that document the stylistic transition from swing to bop.

Although no recordings survive, McGhee took part in the legendary Minton’s Playhouse jam sessions in 1941-’42 that lit the fuse of the bop explosion. This made his trumpet a solid fit in the Jazz at the Philharmonic initiative of Norman Granz, but far more importantly, McGhee was a participant in alto saxophonist Charlie Parker’s 1946-’47 sessions for the Dial label, recordings that are amongst the most essential works in 20th Century music.

McGhee’s own recordings for Dial from the same period are a consistent pleasure and are wholly necessary to a fully rounded collection of early bebop, showing just how sharp and distinctive a player McGhee was as he entered his prime. In 1976 the Spotlight label collected McGhee’s Dial material on the Trumpet at Tempo LP and around 20 years later they gave it the CD expansion On Dial – The Complete Sessions (Parker’s Dial sides have been compiled numerous times; the master takes are indispensable to any jazz collection).

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