VIA PRESS RELEASE | Two of the most iconic West Coast jazz recordings return in definitive form: Way Out West by Sonny Rollins and Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section, now available as Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR) editions for pre-order via Analogue Productions.

Pressed on 200-gram Clarity Vinyl at Quality Record Pressings and cut at 45 RPM for the highest fidelity possible, these limited editions—each capped at 2,750 numbered copies—are mastered AAA directly from the original analog tapes by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman. Pre-order now to secure your copy of these collector-grade reissues.

Each deluxe package includes a booklet with new liner notes by John Koenig—son of Contemporary Records founder Lester Koenig—and is housed in visually striking, meticulously crafted jackets befitting these jazz landmarks. From the first spin, listeners will be immersed in a heightened soundstage that brings new depth, warmth, and dimensionality to two of the genre’s most celebrated albums.

Originally released in 1957, Way Out West marked Sonny Rollins’ first recording for Contemporary Records—and an instant classic that redefined jazz improvisation. Captured in the early morning hours by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, the session featured Ray Brown on bass and Shelly Manne on drums (neither of whom Rollins had played with before).

The trio’s spontaneity and creative freedom, combined with DuNann’s pristine, high-fidelity recording, turned this session into a genre-defining moment. Highlights include the irreverent swing of “I’m an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande),” the title track’s cinematic elegance, and Rollins’ harmonic daring in a trio format that allowed his saxophone to roam unbounded.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Prepare to raise a glass and stomp your feet as The Pogues’ seminal album, Rum Sodomy & The Lash, celebrates its 40th anniversary. Originally released on August 5, 1985, the album captured the raw energy and poetic lyricism that defined The Pogues, solidifying their place as one of the most influential bands of their generation. Today (August 5) marks the 40th anniversary of that original release date.

This 40th anniversary reissue will come in a collectible 2LP red marble vinyl edition and a Deluxe 2CD set, both offering the original album plus a bonus disc that brings together the legendary “Poguetry In Motion” EP, with tracks from the July 1985 BBC Janice Long session, plus original single B-sides. The bonus disc is completed by rare live versions of “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” and “Sally MacLennane” recorded at Glasgow Barrowland in December 1987, and a rough mix of a “Poguetry In Motion” outtake, the band’s version of The Lovin’ Spoonfuls “Do You Believe In Magic,” all currently unavailable.

Produced by Elvis Costello, Rum Sodomy & the Lash was the second studio album by the London-based Irish folk punk band. Costello, who was originally brought in to work on the singles, extended his stay to work on the entire album. At the time, he said, “I saw my task was to capture them in their dilapidated glory before some more professional producer fucked them up.” The album was released on August 5, 1985 and reached number 13 on the UK charts. It features the singles “A Pair Of Brown Eyes,” “Sally MacLennane,” and “Dirty Old Town.”

Celebrating Pat Smear, born on this day in 1961.—Ed.

Poor Darby Crash. First the Germs charismatic and drug-abusing lead singer returned from England a converted Adam Ant fan (very bad form, very bad form indeed), then he had the amazingly bad luck to die in a suicide pact the day before the murder of John Lennon, thus ensuring his death would receive virtually no recognition in the press.

Fortunately neither his Antdom nor his ill-timed deliberate death by heroin overdose have sullied his posterity, and his pre-planned live-fast-die-young career continues to contribute to what practically amounts to a cult. And I get it. The guy was loony tunes, but he also had charisma. Germs drummer Don Bolles recalls, “With a little more luck and concentrated effort, Darby could have fulfilled his plan to be the new Jesus/Bowie/Manson/Hitler/L Ron Hubbard… he was a natural messiah type, whose heroic consumption of LSD helped make him the most psychedelic prankster I have ever known.”

Fortunately he started a punk band instead, and not just any punk band. As Germs guitarist Pat Smear recollects, “Whatever we were going to be, we were going to be the most. If we’re gonna be punk, then we are gonna out-punk the Sex Pistols! If we are gonna be the worst band ever, then we are gonna be the fucking worst band ever!” As the lead singer for what I like to think was one of the worst bands in history, those are inspiring words indeed.

But my favorite Darby Crash story has nothing to do with the Germs, but rather Pop Rocks. Remember the candy that detonated like little hand grenades in your mouth? Well, in We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk, Gerber (aka Michelle Bell) recalls the time she and Crash were walking through a parking garage towards two Persian gentlemen who, faced with a couple of deranged looking punkers, assumed they were being mugged. So they threw themselves to the ground and offered up their wallets.

Read More »

Heat On is the Chicago-based group formed by drummer Lily Finnegan with tenor saxophonist Edward Wilkerson Jr., altoist Fred Jackson Jr., and bassist Nick Macri playing both upright and electric on this self-titled release, offering six compositions by Finnegan, including a three-part suite. While it’s the drummer’s debut album, she has experience playing with Ken Vandermark, James Brandon Lewis, Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Sarah Clauson, gabby fluke-mogul, and many others. Heat On is an impressive set that’s hopefully just the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. It’s out now on compact disc and digital through Cuneiform Records.

Lily Finnegan has yet to accumulate an extensive discography, but what’s out there with her name on it has reinforced her talent as an instrumentalist, and now Heat On establishes her compositional abilities. Finnegan can let it fly in a free context, but her debut illuminates her preference for combining abstraction and compositional structure, and to pinpoint, Finnegan’s stated appreciation for grooves.

One could call Finnegan an inside-outside specialist, but there’s a lot more happening across Heat On’s succinct runtime than mere variations upon the now well-established approach of launching outward into the deep weeds from a sturdy melodic bedrock and then touching back down. The album’s opener, “Green Milk,” for example, dives into a rich free-bop sensibility that’s reminiscent of but not overly indebted to Ornette Coleman’s quartet recordings for Atlantic Records.

The playing by Finnegan’s group is expert without being flashy. Edward Wilkerson is best known for leading the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians-affiliated 8 Bold Souls, a unit whose albums include Last Option, released in 2000 by Thrill Jockey, but Wilkerson has more recently recorded with Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few and earlier this year with the Christopher Dammann Sextet on their self-titled LP on Out Of Your Head Records.

Read More »

NEWPORT, RI | Fort Adams was once again transformed into an oasis of music, arts, and recreation as the yearly tradition for so many had finally arrived—the Newport Folk Festival. Circled on attendees’ calendars nearly a year in advance, there was a heightened level of excitement as day one of this three-day music festival kicked off. The legacy of NFF is one of kindness and inclusion, and this year’s events contributed to that shared joyful experience through the effort of a whole community.

The Newport Folk Festival’s unique charm, built on a love for music, sets it apart from the rest. These pervasive qualities are shared by attendees, employees, and the artists themselves. Fans respectfully embrace new and familiar artists, leading to meaningful experiences for both attendees and performers.

“Happy New Year!” Producer and Executive Director Jay Sweet excitedly greeted a cheerful crowd at the Harbor stage. “I always brag to any person at every other festival—if you want to see what true music fans are like, come to Newport because they are there from the very first note to show up and help support artists, so thank you for being here.”

Sweet introduced the first main act of the day, Nathaniel Rateliff, who started the day off early. “If I get here in the morning, do you think more people will get here to see the younger artists and start this thing off?” Rateliff’s question proved correct as the crowd overflowed into the aisle to be a part of his heartwarming set.

Rateliff greeted the audience, offering kudos for being an “open-minded and open-hearted community here that is one unto itself, and I feel honored and privileged to be here this year. This festival offers the opportunity to better ourselves and leave as better people.” His affection for the NFF crowd served as a prelude to what would be a shared consensus among the performing musicians—love and appreciation for the fans.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Music. Spectacle. Style. Influence. For more than 20 years, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been a crucible of pop culture, shaping the music we listen to, the clothing we wear, the photos we take, and even how we commune.

In Desert Dreams: The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella, veteran music and culture journalist Katie Bain takes you behind the scenes of Coachella’s history and impact, looking back at some the biggest names to ever grace the mainstage—including those who first captivated audiences in smaller tents—and demonstrating the festival’s unparalleled power and prestige. When you play Coachella, the world is watching. Relive the stories that made global headlines—from surprise guests and career-defining performances to celebrity sightings and trend-setting fashion, both onstage and among the audience.

With nearly 15 years of experience attending, reporting on and interviewing artists at the festival, Bain offers an expert look at Coachella’s singular setting and international impact. Through insider observations and rich detail, she unveils the preparation it takes for fans to arrive at the site, brings readers on a tour of the festival’s key locations and most talked-about parties and captures the essence of the Coachella experience.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Liberation Hall has announced Jump Blues Live 1972, a previously unreleased concert performance by Blues Hall of Fame vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon and famed guitarist Robben Ford. The title arrives in stores September 26 on CD, vinyl, and digital. Liberation Hall’s releases are distributed by MVD Entertainment Group (USA) and Wienerworld (UK).

The CD and digital are available for pre-order at Bandcamp and Amazon. The LP will be pressed in a limited-edition of 300 copies on cobalt blue vinyl and sold exclusively at independent retailers that participate in the monthly Record Store Day Essentials program. The album’s first digital single, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” is out now.

Jump Blues Live 1972 features nine tracks, including one song co-written by Witherspoon and additional tracks composed by Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, Leiber & Stoller, and others. Witherspoon got his start during WWII, cutting his first sides with Jay McShann (scoring a #1 R&B hit with 1949’s “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”), but the early 1950s decline of the big bands also heralded a temporary setback in Witherspoon’s prominence.

After a few years of reinvention, coupled with British Invasion rockers’ seemingly insatiable thirst for classic R&B, Witherspoon climbed his way back, if not to the top, at least to a position of commercial viability.

Read More »

Remembering Klaus Schulze, born on this date in 1947. —Ed.

Klaus Schulze has released a certifiable ass-ton of music, and only the most severely dedicated have collected it all. For those wishing to own his earliest solo recordings on vinyl, the One Way Static label has issued his work from 1968-1970 on the 2LP set La Vie Electronique Volume 1.0. Fully embracing experimentation in a home environment, Schulze’s boldly celestial and drone friendly excursions infuse early electronic, proto-ambient exploration with edge and heft. Today it’s easy to pigeonhole, but at the time it was breaking new ground, or it would’ve been, had it promptly come out; the good news is that it holds up well.

This isn’t the debut for the material on offer here, but it is the most concise assemblage of solo Schulze at his earliest. Initially, this stuff was sprinkled non-chronologically by Klaus D. Mueller, who contributes useful notes for this set, into 1995’s 10CD Historic Edition box set, which in 2000 was dropped into the 50CD (that’s right, 50) Ultimate Edition savings-drainer (which also included the 10CD Silver Edition, the 25CD Jubilee Edition and five additional discs).

The maximal method was obviously geared to the diligent fan, but after the Ultimate Edition fell out of print, the notion of following chronology and breaking the music into more digestible sets prevailed; this resulted in the 16 volume La Vie Electronique CD series, which spanned from 2009 to 2015; La Vie Electronique Vol. 1.0 offers the contents of the first 3CD volume’s opening disc across two LPs.

Klaus Schulze wasn’t completely a solo operator. His first group Psy Free, described by Schulze in Mueller’s notes as playing avant-garde/ free rock, never recorded, but he then moved on to Tangerine Dream, and after playing drums on their swell first album, 1970’s Electronic Meditation, just as quickly quit. From there, he formed Ash Ra Tempel with bassist Hartmut Enke and guitarist Manuel Göttsching; helping to shape a terrific self-titled ’71 debut, he made another exit.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Peter Hammill first came to prominence as a founder member and voice of the legendary progressive rock group Van der Graaf Generator. Alongside his work with the band, Peter Hammill enjoyed a long career as an innovative and ground-breaking solo artist. Beginning with his first solo album Fool’s Mate in 1971, Peter recorded a series of acclaimed albums for both Charisma Records and Virgin Records, covering a wide range of moods, but all undeniably uniquely original.

The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971–1986, released on 26 September, is the ultimate collection of his early solo work. This 18CD+2Blu-Ray set is a super deluxe box set which comprises all 13 albums released by Charisma and Virgin, all newly remastered from the original master tapes, along with new 5.1 and stereo mixes of The Future Now and pH7 by Stephen W Tayler, rare BBC sessions and live recordings and a Blu-ray video disc of rare previously unreleased European television performances. Accompanying the music is a 76-page, 12-inch square, hardbacked book featuring extensive commentary on each album by Peter alongside many rare images. A limited run featuring an exclusive postcard will also be available.

Having founded Van der Graaf Generator in 1967, Peter Hammill remains to this day a formidable, unwavering, and prolific artist. For much of his early musical life, his work would weave between solo albums and that of the band, each with their own journeys, often his solo work having a more personal theme. After the band broke up in 1978, he continued to release solo albums at an incredibly prolific rate.

Read More »

Bookended by the band’s excellent eponymous 1967 debut and 1969’s brilliant A Salty Dog, Procol Harum’s 1968 LP Shine on Brightly is a half-assed example of the sophomore slump. Side one is no disgrace, but the progressive rockers lose the thread on side two, which sinks beneath the weight of the acid-addled balderdash of the unconscionably long (and quite frequently inadvertently hilarious) song suite “In Held Twas in I.”

Shot themselves right in the dick with the song, they did. But all might have been forgiven had Procol Harum tricked up another song as magic and majestic as “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” which was THE song of 1967 and inspired none other than Beatle John himself to say, “You play it when you take some acid and … whoooooooo.’”

But Shine On Brightly’s only single, “Quite Rightly So,” inspired nary a “whoooooooo,” and only climbed to the half-century spot on the UK charts. A paler shade of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” it was, and as things panned out, the LP itself didn’t even chart in England’s Green and Pleasant Land. Perhaps if Keith Reid had included more Chaucer references, your literary Brits would have eaten them right up.

Procol Harum had a winning formula—a great singer in Gary Brooker, even if The Village Voice’s Robert Christgau once wrote that Brooker “learned his oft-praised blues mannerisms from the constipated guy in the next toilet stall.” Matthew Fisher’s organ gave them a rich sound, and was ideal when it came to copping odds and sods from classical compositions, which was what got them labeled a progressive rock band in the first place. And Robin Trower was a blues rock guitarist with mad skills who kept their compositions from floating away on the clouds of neo-classical pomposity.

Read More »

VIA PRESS RELEASE | If Deicide’s first album defined death metal, their second album supercharged it.

Impossibly fast tempos, headspinning arrangements, just plain evil guitar tones—when somebody like bassist and vocalist Glen Benton labels the album “***kin’ over the top,” you know where you’re headed (if you said hell, you’re getting warm) when you insert the needle into this Legion’s vinyl vein.

As always with this band, drummer Steve Asheim holds the barely controlled chaos together, whose double kick BPM approaches 4 digits amidst guitar squalls from the Hoffman brothers. The material on Legion has also stood the test of time, with “Trifixion” and “Dead but Dreaming” enduring fan favorites.

Indeed, Legion (which, along with their self-titled debut, is one of the best-selling death metal records ever) is reckoned by many to be Deicide’s best album; it’s certainly their most brutal. Remastered for the format and pressed in metallic “rainbow inferno” vinyl, complete with a highly flammable lyric insert.