Wes Anderson is one of the most original American film directors in movies today. There are many elements that go into the singular vision of one of his films. Integral to the unique worlds he creates in his films is the music.

Anderson’s films increasingly harken back to some imaginary place in the past. His stories are often set in carefully conceived locales that become the perfect setting for the various miniature tableaux he creates. Before commonplace international travel, world satellite communication, and, of course, everything related to the Internet, social media, and what now may be the final technological scourge, AI, the world was a more mysterious place. That mystery is something Anderson continues to explore and reflect in his films, and with the help of his chief soundtrack collaborator Alexandre Desplat, a mood of mystery and timelessness is easily achieved.

While Desplat provides the soundtrack for countless directors and films, his work as part of Anderson’s film “company” of contributors, collaborators, and cohorts is evidence of probably the most intimate relationship between director and composer of any with which the two are involved. For his work with Anderson, Desplat has won BAFTA, Grammy, and Oscar awards.

After Mark Mothersbaugh did the music for his debut film Bottle Rocket, Anderson often used the music of the British Invasion and the post-Invasion on his soundtracks, which became a signature of his early, breakthrough films. His more recent films have turned away from using music from that era. Nearly gone is the often incongruent, but successful pairing of stories set in current times with the music of the ’60s and ’70s from his non-animated films.

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With the release of New Radiations, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler has amassed ten official albums in a vast body of work that includes two compilations, four EPs, ten singles, and nearly a dozen self-released collections ranging from demos, outtakes, and covers. Hers is a lush sound, warm and resonant, with fingerpicked guitar as the foundation. With this batch of 11 songs, she’s evincing no signs of slowing down. The set is out August 15 on vinyl (white, black, moonlight radiation), compact disc, and digital through her label of over a decade, Sacred Bones of New York City.

Fingerpicked and darkly moody, “It Hits Harder,” the opening track from New Radiations, radiates an early 2000s aura, although it’s not tidily pegged as neo-New Weirdness or Freak Folky. Strengthened by an undergirding of electric guitar, the song travels a long stylistic road in its five minutes. The following track, “Bad Dreams Summertime,” is more concise and pop-oriented in a Mazzy Star sort of way. “You Called Her Carmellia” expands on this scenario, unfurling a gorgeous tranquility, this time fortified with peals of hazy, distant pedal steel.

“Smoke Screen Selene” is a much darker affair, although no less atmospheric, oozing a decidedly 1990s Lynch/ Badalamenti/Cruise feel. Of course, the Lynch-affiliated work of that era regularly tapped into ’50s-early ’60s pop, and New Radiations finds Nadler continuing to explore similar territory, and in particular during the title track and “If It’s an Illusion,” the latter offering an ample dose of those James Burton by way of Twin Peaks guitar stylings.

Next is “Hatchet Man,” another gradually developing beauty move, and “Light Years” glistens right from the start, moving once again at Nadler’s preferred pace, a speed that some might describe as glacial but is better assessed as a sunbaked slow-motion crawl. For some, this lack of variation in momentum will become monochromatic, but for others, it will register as a consistency that becomes immersive. “Weightless Above the Water” doesn’t deviate, though there is a prettiness in Nadler’s vocal that assists the track in standing out.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Prestige alternative reissue house Left For Dead Records—formed by James Reynolds, founder of early New York punk/new wave indie label Jimboco Records (Nails “88 Lines…,” NastyFacts, Rousers, TMA), the Independent Label Alliance distribution network (Silos, Vulgar Boatmen, Ritual Tension), and ‘80s/’90s indie Safe House Records (Souuthern Culture On The Skids, Lunachicks, Half Japanese, Volebeats, Bodeco, Candy Snatchers)—announces the release of Rousers 1979 Sire Session by classic ‘70s Manhattan punk act Rousers.

This is being released on October 14 on black and translucent white individually numbered 12” LP vinyl and a 2 x CD set (with bonus tracks). In 2026, it’ll be available for digital download and streaming on Bandcamp.

Inspired by the New York Dolls, Ramones, and such immortal ‘50s rockers as twangy guitar hero Duane Eddy, the Rousers were woefully underdocumented in their prime. A few major labels sniffed around, including RCA and Warner Bros. subdi­vision Sire. But no one committed them to vinyl until Reynolds issued their “Party Boy” b/w “Don’t Let The Band Stop Playing” 45 (produced by Wayne Kramer of the MC5) via Jimboco in 1981.

Reynolds corrects this oversight today with the release of the demos that the original Rousers lineup—vocalist Jeff Buck­land, rhythm guitarist Bill Dickson, bassist John Hannah, lead guitarist Tom Milmore, and drummer Jerid O’Connell—cut for Sire in the label’s basement studio on New York’s Upper West Side in 1979.

Tracked to tape under the sharp ear of Ed Stasium, hot off sessions with the Ramones and Talking Heads, the 1979 Sire demos are raw, radiant, and long overdue for release. They captured the Rousers in full dragstrip ignition mode: dueling Gibson guitars plugged into Fender amps for maximum punk twang, hiccupping Elvis/Buddy Holly vocal inflections, and a rhythm section built for backseat makeouts and beer-splashed dance floors.

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Celebrating Lawrence Hayward, born on this day in 1961. —Ed.

Apparently Lawrence Hayward’s whole plan was to release ten LPs and ten singles in ten years. Through growth and perseverance he pulled it off in the ‘80s via the band Felt. Their later albums are the ones most talked about these days, but that doesn’t mean the discerning post-punk/indie pop fan should neglect the early stuff. If interested in hearing the whole story, than Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty is the place to start.

Back in the day the proto-punk club was a pretty exclusive joint. A person could count the most important members on the fingers of one hand, even; there was The Stooges and the MC5 from Detroit, The Modern Lovers from Boston, and The New York Dolls and The Velvet Underground from New York.

Of course the list could be expanded a bit, with the digits on the opposing paw including Bowie and T. Rex from England and Rocket from the Tombs and Electric Eels from Cleveland, which leaves one solitary wiggler left to represent the ‘60s garage wave detailed on the original Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets volume.

But the march of time has uncovered a smattering of once ultra-obscure names and unearthed new discoveries that have expanded the proto-punk sphere quite a bit, with bands like Ontario CA’s Simply Saucer, Detroit’s Death, Minneapolis’ Michael Yonkers, and others deepening the field considerably. Plus, Nuggets bands like The Monks, The Sonics, and ? Mark and the Mysterians, once primarily known for a song or two on comps, have been given a much larger role in the proto-punk universe through reissues and even reunion shows. Throw in an expanded role for Krautrock, UK pub-rock, and glam, and the proto-punk arena could theoretically take up its own section in a well stocked record shack.

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On August 15, guitarist and composer Lingyuan Yang delivers a powerful statement with his debut release Cursed Month, which is available on compact disc and digital through Chaospace Records. A whirlwind of intricacy and precision, it is a work for trio collecting seven pieces by Yang alongside Shinya Lin on piano and Asher Herzog on drums. In addition to guitar, Yang contributes electronics to an instrumental scheme that encompasses avant-jazz improvisational fireworks and prog-metal heaviness launching from a foundation built on microtonality and an electroacoustic bedrock. Cursed Month brings a fresh voice into the New Music sphere.

Lingyuan Yang has studied extensively, earning a BFA from The New School. His mentors include Ingrid Laubrock, Anna Webber, Matt Mitchell, and Peter Evans, and his playing reflects a deep interest in a wide range of stylistic disciplines. On one hand, Cursed Month brings the power trio thunder, and on the other, it is supple and labyrinthine a la the best of experimental improvisation.

Yang speaks in a voice of strong musicality that’s lacking in the tentative, and he’s confident enough as a creator to partner with players as dynamic as Shinya Lin and Asher Herzog. Favoring a clean-toned approach over enveloping waves of distortion, Yang’s technical proficiency will surely drop more than a few jawbones, but he’s just as likely to cede the spotlight to his bandmates.

Lin moves up and down the keyboard with a boisterousness that avoids the manic; there’s always a sense of control in Cursed Month’s collectivity, even when Yang’s electronic additives fervently splatter forth. And Herzog is spry as he moves around his kit, but he’s still the anchor that establishes much of this trio’s rock inclination.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | John Carpenter’s soundtracks for the most recent Halloween trilogy, made alongside his frequent collaborators Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, marked the legendary director and composer’s return to film scoring after nearly two decades away.

2018’s Halloween, 2021’s Halloween Kills, and 2022’s Halloween Ends were all directed by David Gordon Green, who engaged Carpenter early in the pre-production process, ultimately enlisting him as both an executive producer and soundtrack composer for the trilogy. Now, for the first time, expanded editions of all three scores are being made available by Carpenter’s longtime label, Sacred Bones Records. Halloween: The Complete Expanded Collection, a deluxe box set collecting the definitive editions of all three scores, plus standalone versions of the expanded Halloween, Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends soundtracks, will be out on October 3, 2025. These releases are available to pre-order and pre-save, alongside two previously unheard tracks.

In listening to the recent Halloween scores, the collaborative spirit among the composing trio is one of the first things that jumps out. The now-famous bowed guitar part on Halloween’s “The Shape Hunts Allyson,” like all the guitar parts strewn across the trilogy, is played by Daniel Davies. John calls Daniel “the adventurer” of the group, and credits him with introducing sounds he’d never have considered.

Cody, who his father refers to as a “musical savant,” is an equally essential presence. It’s his steady, methodical hand that helps give shape to the ideas that fly around when these three get in a room together. The scores for the new films may be centred on familiar themes, but they’re also a lot more sonically diverse and musically audacious than anything John could have pulled off in 1978, when he made the original Halloween.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Latino announces a special reissue for the 1983 GRAMMY-nominated salsa classic Tremendo Trio, which unites three of Latin music’s greatest talents: legendary bandleader and percussionist Ray Barretto, beloved vocalist Adalberto Santiago, and the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz.

Returning to vinyl on October 3 for the first time since its original release, and available for pre-order, this star-studded album is packed with salsa dura dancefloor favorites, including “Nadie se salva de la rumba,” “Así empezó él son montuno,” and “Margie.” This edition of Tremendo Trio was cut from the original analog tapes by Dave Polster and Clint Holley at Well Made Music and pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Fans can also enjoy the remastered album in both standard and HD digital audio, available now. Additionally, a limited-edition “Tremendo Rojo” color vinyl variant (only 300 copies) is available as a stand-alone or a bundle option that includes a collectible Fania Retro Logo T-shirt, exclusively online at Fania.com.

This release arrives as part of Craft Latino’s centennial celebrations honoring Celia Cruz and her extraordinary contributions to the musical landscape. Widely regarded as one of the most influential Latin artists of all time, Cruz was an internationally beloved star who sold over 10 million records over the course of her five-decade career. A ten-time GRAMMY nominee, she received numerous accolades, including the National Medal of the Arts, a Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a posthumous GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award.

Cruz was also inducted into both the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame and the International Latin Music Hall of Fame, among others. In 2024, she made history as the first Afro-Latina to appear on US currency through the American Women’s Quarter Program. Throughout the year, Craft Latino is commemorating Cruz with a series of vinyl and digital reissues, playlists, video content, and more.

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Remembering Eric Carmen, born on this day in 1949. —Ed.

It’s a miracle that anyone survives adolescence. And I’m not talking about drugs or driving 110 mph while on drugs or any of the other healthy activities normal teens engage in—no, I’m talking about potentially lethal sperm build-up. Speaking just for myself, I was a lusus naturae of unsated lust, and often found myself leering at vacuum cleaners. One day I discovered that my skull was producing an oily discharge, and it took a physician to inform me that I was literally secreting sperm through the follicles of my hair.

It was a lonely and demeaning condition, but fortunately I had the Raspberries. They were more than just the greatest power pop band ever—they were the Masters and Johnson of Rock. No other rock band has ever given more eloquent voice to the victims of adolescent hormonal overload. In such ardent and urgent songs as “Go All the Way,” “Tonight,” “I Wanna Be With You,” “Ecstasy,” and “Let’s Pretend,” The Raspberries spoke to the only subject that really mattered to poon-crazed teens like me—namely getting some, and preferably tonight.

The Raspberries formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1970, the year after the Cuyahoga River caught fire: an ill omen in hindsight, for despite their polished Beatles and Mod-influenced sound, irresistible melodies, arresting guitar hooks, and heavenly vocal harmonies, the Raspberries never scored a No. 1 hit on the singles or album charts before breaking up in 1975. The band’s first single, 1972’s brilliant “Go All the Way,” rose all the way to the No. 5 spot. They were never to come as close to the top of the pops again.

While the Raspberries’ first three albums (1972’s Raspberries and Fresh, and 1973’s Side 3) contain all of the odes to teen lust the band is most famous for, I have always preferred their farewell LP, 1974’s Starting Over. Disappointing sales of Side 3 led to the replacement of bassist Dave Smalley and drummer Jim Bonfanti by Scott McCarl and Michael McBride, respectively, and McBride’s Keith Moon-like drumming in particular lent the band a much harder kick. Starting Over also has a slightly—and I do mean slightly—scruffier sound than its predecessors, and the combination of McBride’s drum pummel and less glossy production gives the album a sound that is more power than pop.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and “British Invasion” pioneers, The Zombies, announce the release of Odessey & Oracle Mono Remastered on September 26.

The album, the first of four definitive physical reissues from their catalog, includes the classic songs “Time Of The Season,” “Care of Cell 44,” and “This Will Be Our Year” and is a regular entry in “Best Albums of All Time” lists in publications like Rolling Stone, NME, and Mojo magazine. The release, which coincides with The Zombies’ documentary, Hung Up On A Dream, marks the first time the band’s original mono mix, remastered from studio tapes, has appeared on LP since the record’s British issue in 1968, presenting the album as they originally intended it to be heard. Pre-order the album on all formats here.

Recorded primarily at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios in 1967, Odessey & Oracle was self-produced in Mono on a shoestring budget by primary songwriters Rod Argent (keyboards/vocals) and Chris White (bass/vocals). Under last-minute pressure from their record label, the album was hastily remixed in the newly emerging Stereo format, which sacrificed key elements from the Mono recording, most notably the beloved horn parts in “This Will Be Our Year.”

The band today also shares the first track off the album, the mono remastered version of “This Will Be Our Year,” with the horn parts restored. Although never released as a single, this deep cut has found a new life thanks to prominent uses in TV and film, including memorable scenes in Mad Men, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Schitt’s Creek, and covers by artists like Foo Fighters, OK Go, and Susanna Hoffs. Its positive and uplifting message has been embraced by couples as a popular wedding song and has become a staple of New Year’s playlists.

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And then we come to the strange case of The Stranglers’ 1977 debut album Rattus Norvegicus, which I detest with a hard gem-like flame and yet find myself drawn to at the same time, the way you might to watching a guy’s dick split open like an overcooked hot dog, which if I’m being honest is a fate I keep hoping befalls the whole band and especially lead vocalist Hugh Cornwell and occasional lead singer bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel, whose shared sexism, overinflated sense of self, and constant steroidal bellowing annoy me almost as much as the organs and synthesizers and saxophone that make me wonder how anyone could have ever called The Stranglers a punk band.

They’re pure showbiz, baby.

Rattus Norvegicus became one of the biggest sellers of the punk era, which I find inexplicable. And I’m hardly alone, although the album has plenty of champions. On my side, you’ll find Robert Christgau (who commented on their sexism before dismissing them forever as “too dumb”) and Julie Burchill and Tony Parsons, who eviscerate The Stranglers in their wonderfully scabrous little 1978 book The Boy Looked at Johnny: The Obituary of Rock and Roll. The duo serially describe The Stranglers as “plodders,” “thick as shit,” and an “old-fashioned almost medieval band of manky minstrels” before concluding, “The only thing The Stranglers are anti—is women.”

They also write, “Erected on the tried-and-true foundations of the Manly Virtues, i.e., misogyny, latent homosexuality and heavy physical exercise, preferably in the communal shower, “Rattus Norvegicus” caught them in the raw.” If I could have said it that well, I’d have said it.

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