The TVD Storefront

TVD Radar: Tito Puente, El Rey Bravo newly remastered reissue in stores 11/10

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Latino proudly announces a vinyl reissue for Tito Puente’s foundational Latin jazz masterpiece, El Rey Bravo. Originally released on Tico Records in 1962, the album includes the legendary bandleader and percussionist’s iconic hit, “Oye Cómo Va,” plus enduring favorites like “Tombola” and “Tokyo de Noche.”

Set for release November 10th and available for pre-order today, El Rey Bravo features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Completing the package is a vintage-style tip-on jacket featuring the album’s classic design. Additionally, for the very first time, fans can experience El Rey Bravo in 192/24 hi-res audio on select digital platforms. In addition, a Canary Yellow color vinyl exclusive, limited to 500 copies, with exciting bundle options that include a commemorative Tito Puente T-shirt is being offered at Fania.com. Vinyl Me, Please is also releasing a 180-gram Orange Crush exclusive variant.

This reissue offers a fitting cap to Craft Latino’s year-long centennial celebration of the influential artist. Throughout 2023, the label has honored Puente’s vital contributions to Latin music through exclusive digital content and a series of releases, including 180-gram vinyl pressings of Puente’s 1972 classic, Para los Rumberos, and his best-selling 1985 album, Mambo Diablo.

In the late 1940s, an exciting new sound was taking root in New York jazz clubs, as Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians settled in the city, introducing Afro-Cuban and Caribbean rhythms to American audiences. Within a few years, everyone was dancing to the cha-cha-chá and mambo, thanks to a host of inspired young artists, including Tito Puente (1923–2000). The Manhattan-born, Puerto Rican percussionist honed his craft under the legendary Cuban bandleader Machito, who was instrumental in bringing Afro-Cuban jazz to America.

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TVD Radar: The Kinks, The Journey – Part 2 2LP & 2CD in stores 11/17

VIA PRESS RELEASE | The Kinks, one of the greatest ever British rock groups, continue the 60th Anniversary celebrations of their illustrious musical journey with part two of their career-defining anthology, The Journey, out 17 November on BMG.

Following the release of The Journey – Part 1 in March this year (featuring hits such as “You Really Got Me,” “Waterloo Sunset,” “All Day And All Of The Night,” “Supersonic Rocket Ship,” and “Dead End Street”) The Journey – Part 2, compiled by the band, will be available on 2CD, 2LP, Digital and HD Digital formats. The physical formats contain a booklet with band photos and track-by-track notes written by original members Ray Davies, Dave Davies, and Mick Avory, sharing their memories of the time and weaving them into The Kinks’ incredible story. Preorder and presave The Journey – Part 2 here.

The Journey – Part 2 includes singles, B-sides, album tracks and, notably, six new Ray Davies mixes, three of which are previously unreleased live performances from the New Victoria Theatre, London in 1975. New digital single “Everybody’s a Star (Starmaker) (Live 1975, 2023 Mix),” can be heard above. Hits featured on the release include: “Lola,” “Sunny Afternoon,” “20th Century Man,” “Dedicated Follower Of Fashion,” “Till The End Of The Day,” “A Well Respected Man,” “See My Friends,” and “Everybody’s A Star (Starmaker).”

This release is accompanied by a brand new Official Kinks merchandise collection that represents their 60 years as a group. The full range of merchandise is available from Backstreet. Visit the store here.

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Graded on a Curve:
Grand Funk,
We’re An American Band

Celebrating Mark Farner on his 75th birthday.Ed.

Jesus Funkin’ Christ, Grand Funk. Where does one even begin? Homer Simpson’s immortal description of the band’s members is as good a place as any: “You kids don’t know Grand Funk? The wild shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner? The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher? The competent drumwork of Don Brewer? Oh, man!”

Grand Funk was one of the biggest arena acts of the 1970s, but nowadays you’d be hard pressed to find anyone besides Homer Simpson who will admit to liking them. I’ve never heard a single rocker cite Grand Funk as an influence, and unlike their Michigan brethren the MC5 and Iggy and the Stooges, Grand Funk scored a big zero when it came to hipness factor. Their talk of revolution was transparently empty jive, they didn’t have a proto-punk bone in their bodies, and in general all they did was fill arenas—something the far cooler MC5 and the anarchic Stooges never came close to doing—and make the people in those arenas (and their bongs) happy.

Of course filling arenas doesn’t prove much, except that it’s impossible to overestimate the ignorance of the American public, but still it’s intriguing—what did all those pothead on reds at all those Grand Funk shows hear that we simply can’t hear in 2014? Did people back then have an extra Grand Funk ear? That closed up around the time of 1976’s Born to Die, which marked the band’s downward slide following seven consecutive LPs in the Top Ten?

That’s right: seven consecutive LPs in the Top Ten. How they managed this feat, given their lackluster body of work, remains a mystery, like what became of Amelia Earhart or how Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher Dock Ellis managed to throw a no-hitter while tripping his balls off. It is possible people really did come to hear the shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner? Or were they truly that hard-up for entertainment in the Dark Ages of the early to mid-seventies, when rock had become empty entertainment, with the talk of music changing the world having become passé on one side and the soon-to-come (and equally unsuccessful punk revolution the other. Never having seen Grand Funk—they were well into their precipitous fall from superstardom when I started attending concerts, I can’t say.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 122: Anouk Rijnders

If you love vinyl, there’s only one place to be this weekend (9/26–10/1) and that is Haarlem, Netherlands.

There won’t be just one gathering dedicated to vinyl either: the town will host a conference and a festival who have made the wise decision to co-locate in the capital of North Holland. A few months ago on this program we spoke with Larry Jaffee and Bryan Ekus about the Making Vinyl conference that took place last spring in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During that conversation, they gave us a sneak peek at what to expect this week in the Netherlands as they set up shop to hold a European conference there.

But, they won’t be alone. Following the conclusion of the Making Vinyl conference will be the beginning of the Haarlem Vinyl Festival which takes place during the second half of the weekend and which is billed as, “the world’s first multi-day festival entirely dedicated to vinyl culture.” One of the architects of the event is Anouk Rijnders (RHINEJERS) who is the sales manager at the Netherlands record pressing plant, Record Industry.

After working as a producer and director in the television and advertising industry, Anouk joined the Record Industry vinyl pressing plant in 2000. In addition to her role as a Sales Manager for the company, she has produced two books, Passion For Vinyl and its sequel, Passion For Vinyl Part II and will debut Part III this weekend. Anouk is also the Project Manager of Artone Studio which is Record Industries’ brand new mastering room and studio, offering direct-to-disc recording amongst other services.

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Graded on a Curve: Suede, Suede

Celebrating Brett Anderson on his 56th birthday.Ed.

When Suede released their eponymous 1993 debut, Glam fans took notice. No they didn’t. They leapt to their feet and dug through their closets for their six-inch platform Ziggy Stardust boots and moth-balled space age Brian Eno ultra-high collars before sprinting, or more accurately tripping and wobbling—have you ever tried to run in six-inch platform boots?—to loot the make-up counters of every store in London. Finally, they managed to lose (in six minutes flat!) the eighty pounds necessary to squeeze themselves into their old designed-for-skeletons glam attire. Depending on your point of view, it was a glorious moment or a bleeding horror show.

Actually, of course, none of this happened, because while Suede had that classic Glam sound, they didn’t necessarily look the part. They were, for the most part, Glam in mufti, and dressed, for the most part, in fashionable black, with the notable exception of vocalist Brett Anderson, who had that vintage Brian Ferry look—sans the 1940s tailored suits and jaded sophistication—down flat.

But none of this has anything to do with Suede, which ranks amongst the finest LPs of the Britpop era. By turns lush, romantic, low key, high strung, guitar heavy and flat-out metallic, the album’s songs are showcases for Anderson’s vocals, which tend towards the histrionic fabulous. His voice is the Glam glue that draws it all together—Bernard Butler’s guitar shapes the music, for sure, but it’s primarily Anderson’s arch delivery that sets the band squarely in the Great Glam Tradition.

“So Young” is as good as it gets. The song’s fresh melody captures the sound of youth, Anderson goes big time romantic, Butler’s piano adds flavor, and his guitar gives the song just enough muscle to keep it from dissolving into a lovely fey wisp. “Animal Nitrate” is a tougher beast boasting a killer chorus and Anderson singing, “Oh, it turns you on, on/Now he has gone/Oh, what turns you on, on?/Now your animal’s gone.” The ballad “She’s Not Dead” showcases Anderson’s ability to hit those dramatic high notes, while the band produces a Starman solar sound that fits Anderson’s voice like a tailored space suit.

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A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

In rotation: 9/29/23

Warwick, RI | Black Lodge Collectibles has lots for fans of comics, music, video games & more: On the outskirts of Pawtuxet Village, there’s a shop that’s a true outlier when it comes to collectibles, vintage objects and underground culture. When you walk in, you’ll see a vast array of records, comics, old school video games and one of a kind items that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. It’s a place that’s truly unique and if you’re an enthusiast of anything pertaining to what I just mentioned, then you should most definitely stop by. It’s called Black Lodge Collectibles and it’s located on 1986 Broad Street in Cranston. The shop has been in business for a little over a month with co-owners Derek Wood, Josh Marsie and Ian Fitzpatrick got together to start it up on August 19. I recently had a talk with Wood and Marsie at Black Lodge Collectibles about what gave them the idea to start the establishment, how they’ve amassed their huge collection and what makes the place stand out from the competition.

Dungannon, IE | Unlocking vinyl treasure at Tyrone record fair: Vinyl lovers, young and old, are in for a musical treat as Stewart’s Music Shop in Dungannon, one of the oldest independent music stores in Ireland, opens its doors for its first record fair. Featuring thousands of titles from rare and vintage records to the latest releases on vinyl, the fair will bring together traders, collectors and music enthusiasts from across Ireland and further afield. Knowledgeable record dealers will be setting up stalls on Saturday October 7, bringing their diverse collections with them; everything from rock and pop, country and jazz to hidden gems from local artists. Owner Raymond Stewart is delighted by the current revival of vinyl and welcomes seasoned collectors and the next generation of vinyl lovers to the event. “When our shop opened in 1975, my brothers and I sold almost every person in this town their first single. In the years since, how and when people listen to their favorite artists has changed many times and we’ve loved being a part of the scene through it all.

San Antonio, TX | San Antonio singer-songwriter Jerry David DeCicca playing free album-release show: DeCicca’s latest album, New Shadows, guest appearances by Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo, rising indie-rock singer Rosali and Tortose guitarist Jeff Parker. Bulverde-based singer-songwriter Jerry David DeCicca will perform a release show at San Antonio’s Crazy Rhythms Records on Wednesday night for his latest album, New Shadows. The show is the kickoff for a multi-city “record store tour” that includes stops in Lockhart, Dallas, Austin and Houston. DeCicca has released music for more than 20 years under his own name and that of his previous group, the Black Swans. His carefully observed songs have earned praise from sources ranging from venerated music magazine The Fader to cult lo-fi singer-songwriter Bill Callahan. DeCicca’s New Shadows features synthesizers and drum machines in a deconstructed, experimental approach to Americana. He describes the release as “a literary-goth, avant-Americana meditation.”

Pet Shop Boys announce reissue of hard-to-find album ‘Relentless’ for 30th anniversary: The LP was previously released as three 12″ records and were limited to only 500 copies. Pet Shop Boys have announced a reissue of their hard-to-find LP ‘Relentless’ in honour of its 30th anniversary. The synth-pop duo – comprised of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe – released their fifth studio album ‘Very’ back in 1993. The record reached the Number One spot in the UK charts and includes the band’s singles ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ and ‘Go West’, which remain two of their most popular tracks. …‘Relentless’ was also released as a rare standalone vinyl that was limited to 500 copies. It featured six dance tracks spread across three 12″ records and became a highly sought-after Pet Shop Boys artefact. Speaking of the LP in a press release, the Pet Shop Boys said: “This album was an experiment for us 30 years ago with its six new extended dance tracks. We’re very proud of it and delighted it’s now getting the stand-alone release it deserves.”

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TVD Chicago

TVD Live Shots:
Riot Fest, 9/17

3:15PM: Pesky rain pushed the Riot Fest gates today. A bunch of the bands on the front end of the lineup lost their set times. A true bummer, but a festival reality.

4:08PM: Brit rock and shoegaze pioneers, Ride seem to have coaxed the sun out of hiding. Their songs are the perfect musical accompaniment to the much appreciated warm rays.

4:55PM: AFI’s Davey Havok pauses their high energy emo punk set to give some love to this evening’s headliners, The Cure. “Every band playing here…was influenced by The Cure.”

6:12PM: The Dresden Dolls are performers through and through. They look to be having the time of their lives up there—the fans sure are! The reunited duo also busted out some great covers, including Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” with surprise guest, former Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur.

6:59PM: It’s been a bit of an anticlimactic day because of the rain delay and photography restrictions for certain bands, such as The Mars Volta. I feel like the day has just begun but we’re winding down to a close. While I would’ve loved to photograph The Mars Volta, I’m grateful to have been witness to their commanding, hypnotic set.

8:31PM: There’s no shortage of tears during The Cure’s Riot Fest finale set. It’s an emotional and fitting ending to a weekend packed with memorable moments.

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TVD Radar: Backstage
& Beyond Volume 2: 45 Years of Modern Rock Chats & Rants
from Jim Sullivan in stores 10/19

VIA PRESS RELEASE | “I have spoken to many journalists in my time: some good, some bad, some terrible. And it is lovely when you meet someone who is just like you…a huge music fan! Jim Sullivan…is friendly, knowledgeable, forthright, and opinionated! An expert in his chosen field. He is no pushover…if you have faults or are resting on your laurels, he is the first to tell you off.”Peter Hook, Joy Division/New Order

Trouser Press Books is proud to announce Backstage & Beyond Volume 2: 45 Years of Modern Rock Chats & Rants, the second anthology from award-winning music journalist Jim Sullivan, to be published in paperback and e-book on October 19. Pre-orders are available now.

Sullivan—a 2023 inductee into the New England Music Hall of Fame—spent 26 years writing for the Boston Globe and two decades more writing for national publications. He has interviewed and reviewed countless musicians, many of them multiple times. The second volume of his music-writing anthology focuses on artists who came to prominence in the 1970s and ’80s: punk, new wave, post-punk, and beyond. Eleven of them are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Over the course of 300 pages, Sullivan shares fascinating profiles of Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Patti Smith, Buzzcocks, The Damned, The Fall, Joy Division/New Order, The Cure, Stiff Little Fingers, Gang Of Four, The Pogues, The Police, The Cramps, David Byrne/Talking Heads, Beastie Boys, Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, The Cars, The English Beat, Morrissey, Pixies, Mission Of Burma, The Feelies, Puff Daddy, Spiritualized, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Swans, and U2.

“My hope is that the recollections contained here trigger some memories,” writes Jim Sullivan in the book’s preface, “bring you back to where you wanted to be—backstage and beyond, as it were. And if you weren’t around then, I hope this transports you back to several golden ages of rock and roll.”

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Graded on a Curve:
Jerry Lee Lewis, Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis

Remembering Jerry Lee Lewis in advance of his birthdate tomorrow.Ed.

For Jerry Lee Lewis, 1973 was the worst of years and the best of years too; despite a brief turn in prison, the death of a son, a divorce (his fourth), and rampant drug and alcohol abuse, the Killer still turned out two seminal LPs with The Session… Recorded in London with Great Artists and Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis.

The latter LP is nothing short of a miracle; Jerry Lee somehow managed knock off ten galvanizing performances even though he was, by all accounts, out of control even by his own berserk standards. When he wasn’t abusing legendary producer Huey “The Crazy Cajun” Meaux, the heavily medicated Lewis was threatening to kill a photographer and generally being a dyspeptic old cuss. “Do you wanna try one?” asks Meaux doing the proceedings. “If you got enough fuckin’ sense to cut it,” replies the orneriest cage-rattler to ever hail from the friendly state of Louisiana.

Let’s make one thing clear from the start; neither LP comes close to recapturing the anarchic feel and demented energy of Lewis’ early recordings, or the deranged ferocity (subtlety? toss it out the goddamn window!) of his hair-raising live performance with the Nashville Teens at Hamburg, Germany’s Star Club in 1964. His vocals are lazier, and his piano playing less a frenzied hammering at the gates of Hell, the place he’s always figured will be his final destination. It may have been the pills, but the old piano burner almost sounds relaxed at times.

In short, on Southern Roots The Killer proves there’s more than one way to skin a cat. He lays back in the groove and waxes sly and lewd by turns, sounding randy even at his most relaxed and pretty copacetic for a guy who has just threatened to murder another guy for having the audacity to point a camera his way. Whether he’s singing the songs of Doug Sahm or Isaac Hayes or breathing life into novelty tune about a haunted house, Jerry Lee mostly plays it cool but isn’t afraid to blow volcanic hot when the mood strikes him.

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TVD Radar: The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana from Michael Azerrad in stores 10/24

VIA PRESS RELEASE | “Enriched with new anecdotes, insights, and info-morsels, this super-expanded Michael Azerrad classic is a great story made even more gripping. Nirvana’s underground-overground arc becomes a prism for understanding an entire era of rock music and pop culture.”Simon Reynolds, author of Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-84

Renowned rock journalist Michael Azerrad has unveiled The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, a deluxe new hardcover edition “amplifying” his iconic 1993 bestseller, Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. A thoroughly original book re-examining and illuminating Azerrad’s original reportage while also providing essential glosses on Nirvana’s musical, cultural, and historical contexts, The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana will be published by Harper One on Tuesday, October 24. Pre-orders are available now. In addition, Nirvana: The Amplifications, an official audiobook narrated by Azerrad collecting the new annotations, arrives the same day at all leading audiobook platforms.

In 1993, Michael Azerrad published what stands as the definitive biography of Nirvana and its star-crossed leader Kurt Cobain. Written with the band’s complete cooperation, Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana proved a critically acclaimed massive international bestseller lauded by Cobain himself as “the best rock book I’ve ever read.”

Sadly, in April 1994, just seven months after the book’s original publication, Cobain was dead by suicide, establishing Come as You Are as the only book about Nirvana to feature original interviews with Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl. Azerrad has now revisited and reconsidered his original text with exclusive new content exploring the personal and cultural forces that inspired the music, his friendship with Cobain, and why multiple generations remain fascinated today by pop cultural upheaval kickstarted by Nirvana and their landmark 1991 album, Nevermind.

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Graded on a Curve Video Premiere: Lulu Lewis, “Destroy”

Lulu Lewis, the NYC-based duo fronted by Dylan Hundley alongside multi-instrumentalist Pablo Martin, are no strangers to this column, and here they are again with their typically terrific new single “Destroy All Data,” which receives some appreciative words below as we premiere its video. It’s a glove-tight union of sound and image that thrives on a rich and edgy approach to a complementary blend of styles, namely early new wave, post-punk, and electro-pop. Check out the vid ahead of their next live show, which is part of the O+ Festival in Kingston, NY on October 6th.

There’s really no disguising that Lulu Lewis’ main inspirations derive from the late ’70s-early ’80s. As listed above, Hundley and Martin tap into the era that found new wave exploding alongside punk as fresh new genres like synth-pop and mutant disco were born under the banner of post-punk. However, it should be noted that far too frequently, contemporary examples of this mélange of genre flaunt a surface brightness that’s ultimately weakened by an underlying sense of the shallow.

But Lulu Lewis are the real deal. A significant part of their lasting appeal is pretty simple, deriving from solid songs well played and confidently sung. But adding considerable value is their refusal to get boxed into one particular stylistic corner. For example, “Destroy All Data” is a terrific body mover, fully embracing a dance club vibe while retaining an atmosphere of subversiveness and alienation.

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A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

In rotation: 9/28/23

Mystic, CT | A CT record store is marking 40 years as a mecca for collectors with an anniversary party and special guests: The fact that Danny Curland has been buying, selling, listening to and talking about records for 40 years as the owner of Mystic Disc is a cause for celebration. Curland’s employees, customers and friends have planned an anniversary party on Saturday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Mystic River Park near the store in downtown Mystic. Among the special guests at the Mystic Disc 40th Anniversary Gig are Baltimore-based musician Wall Matthews (who co-founded the store with Curland in 1983), the owners of other record shops (including Rich Martin of The Telegraph in New London and Mark Henderson of the Boston-based In Your Ear Records), musician/shop owner James Maple of Mystic’s Lamplighter Trading Post Company, New London journalists Stephen Chupaska and Steven Slosberg, the experimental folk group Xenos, DJ Brian Carter and others whom Curland has inspired or befriended over the years.

Norman, OK | Guestroom Records celebrates 20 years of business, good music: Independent record store Guestroom Records celebrated 20 years of business in September, bringing the Norman music community together. Justin Sowers and Travis Searle started selling records door to door and at garage sales in 2002. After the pair’s success, the first Guestroom Records store was opened in Norman the following year. Guestroom sells a wide range of genres, curated based on customers’ interests. The store has a large selection of classic rock and indie alternative albums. Featured artists include Radiohead, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. Guestroom sells new and used records, and there is a section for CDs and cassettes. Visitors can also sell their own records to the store or search through its online inventory. When Guestroom first opened, most of the inventory consisted of CDs. Now, due to their increased popularity, the store primarily sells records.

Brighton, UK | Top music awards go to Bjork, Wet Leg and…a Brighton record shop: Resident recognised for supporting independent artists: One name stood out for Brighton music fans at the Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards 2023 – Resident record shop, in Kensington Gardens. The independent music shop joined a roster of winners that included Bjork, Wet Leg and Raye. The shop won the Independent Champions Award—a category that rewards those helping to support independent musicians. The Icelandic singer Bjork, 57, who performed at Coachella Festival in California this year in a set that included hundreds of drones, attended to collect the publicly voted award for best live performer. Raye, 25, who released her debut studio album My 21st Century Blues earlier in the year, took home best independent track with American rapper and singer 070 Shake. Their single Escapism was among the year’s chart-toppers.

Shanghai, CN | AMIRI Unveils Limited-Time Vinyl Space Station in Shanghai Flagship Store: In an exciting collaboration between fashion and music, AMIRI has unveiled a limited-time vinyl space station outside its flagship store in Shanghai. The design elements are inspired by AMIRI’s 2023 autumn and winter show, with a fresh mint green and transparent glass exterior facade. The standout feature is a giant black sheet with the MA Logo printed in the middle, giving the impression of a vinyl record being slowly pulled out of its cover. Inside the space station, AMIRI showcases its latest 2023 autumn and winter items. The brand has also created a vinyl interactive area where customers can purchase and make exclusive records with their own signatures. To celebrate the launch event, there will be a DJ playing vinyl records, creating a sophisticated recording studio atmosphere. The combination of fashion and music in this urban oasis provides a unique and relaxing experience for visitors.

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TVD Live Shots: Avatar with Orbit Culture and The Native Howl at Brooklyn Bowl, 9/24

NASHVILLE, TN | This was one for the history books. Avatar blew the roof off Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl Sunday night, a stop on September’s “Chimp Mosh Pit” tour. It was exhilarating—top to bottom, not just one of the best shows I’ve been to in recent times, it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m still wiped out.

Leading off on this tour is The Native Howl (Alex Holycross, Zach Bolling, Mark Chandler, and Jacob Sawicki), from Detroit, Michigan. They specialize in “thrash grass,” a newly coined term describing a sound that combines the melodicism and precision of bluegrass with the aggression of thrash metal. To illustrate, a hallmark of their sets is “Harvester of Constant Sorrow,” which mashes up The Soggy Bottom Boys and Metallica—imagine metal with a banjo solo. Live, it’s a sound that is clever and creative—it works extremely well.

In Nashville, The Native Howl were poorly lit to the point of performing in the dark; this was unfortunate as it undermined the crowd’s ability to really see the charisma of singer Holycross. The previous weekend I traveled to Bloomington, IL to catch this tour in advance of covering it in Nashville. The Native Howl had been on my radar for a while, and I was curious about how they would be live.

It was fun to see all three bands on the bill in what felt like a sardine can of a club. When I caught the show in Bloomington, Holycross struck me as a bit of a Joe Cocker type—imagine if Cocker had a Michigan grandson. His expressive eyes and signature bare feet aren’t a gimmick of any kind—this is who this dude is.

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TVD Radar: Grant Lee Buffalo, Copperopolis & Jubilee 2LP clear vinyl reissues in stores 11/23

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Chrysalis Catalogue presents Copperopolis on vinyl for the first time, accompanied by a selection of bonus tracks.

First released in June 1996, Copperopolis would be the final Grant Lee Buffalo studio album to feature the original line-up of Grant-Lee Phillips, Paul Kimble, and Joey Peters. For Copperopolis, the band expanded on the stripped-down sonics from their first two albums, using the studio to create a layered, more powerful sound, as heard on standout tracks “Arousing Thunder,” “Bethlehem Steel,” and the single “Homespun.” Side four features a trio of bonus tracks, the B-sides “Crashing at Corona” and “Mr. Know It All,” plus the original four-track demo for “Hyperion & Sunset.”

Newly remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios from the original production masters, pressed on two 180g clear vinyl LPs, and housed in a gatefold sleeve with poly-lined inner bags.

Originally released in June 1998 following the departure of long-time bassist Paul Kimble, Jubilee was Grant Lee Buffalo’s fourth and final studio album. For the album’s 25th anniversary, Chrysalis Catalogue presents Jubilee on vinyl for the first time.

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Graded on a Curve:
Van Morrison,
His Band and the Street Choir & Moving On Skiffle

After leaving the group Them and recording one album for the Bert Burns label Bang (Blowin’ Your Mind), Van Morrison recorded two albums (for Warner Bros. Records) that solidified his place in music at that time and forever.

Astral Weeks (1968) is considered Morrison’s most critically acclaimed album and his next one, Moondance (1970), is his most popular and well-known album. While these two recordings often receive the most attention in an evaluation of the immense legend of Morrison, his next three LPs further enhanced and reinforced the enormity of the man’s vast talents. Those albums are His Band and Street Choir (1970), Tupelo Honey (1971), and Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972). His Band and the Street Choir has just been reissued as one of the first four releases from the Rhino High Fidelity Series. This is a great album and the approach taken by Rhino on this reissue is like a master class on how to reissue a classic album.

His Band and the Street Choir was a dramatic change from his previous two albums. On those two records, Morrison was an artist who drew from a range of sometimes tortured emotions to create music of impressionistic, sublime beauty that mixed folk, jazz, r&b, rock, and soul in a sound that was unmatched. On His Band and the Street Choir, Morrison continued to mix those styles, but sounds more relaxed, like he’s truly having fun, and is surrounded by musicians he clearly loves and is inspired by. The songs are shorter and punchier and were clearly recorded mostly live with minimal rehearsal or takes.

It’s a joyous celebration and while it didn’t quite reach the heights of the previous two albums, was an instant classic. The most well-known song from the album is “Domino.” “Blue Money” is another enduring classic from the album and “I’ve Been Working” was a highlight of his live shows at the time. This music very much reflects Morrison’s Woodstock period and the rural, pastoral beauty of that place was certainly a key ingredient in the writing and recording of the album.

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  • SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL INDIE SHOPS SINCE 2007


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