Strictly Discs

January 14, 2022

NEW THIS WEEK AT THE SHOP:

 
 
Quite a haul of new releases hitting the shop floor this week! Just in time to blast away the winter doldrums, a bold new record from BONOBO called 'Fragments' comes through with some of the producer's finest work yet; moody and prismatic slow-burn bangers with a slew of great vocal guests like Jamila Woods, Kadhja Bonet, and Joji on this one, which we have in stock on limited red marble vinyl, plus a deluxe edition. Chiptune standard bearers ANAMANAGUCHI revisit some of their most potent work on the 'Summer Singles' which comes in a stunning foil package with color wax. Inventive pop from far corners of the globe is in from Scottish songwriter DVR and Aussie pop-fusionist TKAY MAIDZA.


 
 
Windswept troubadour CAT POWER already rewrote the rules of the covers album with her 2000 album 'The Covers Record', which introduced a new audience to Michael Hurley and sported one of the most drastic deconstructions of the Rolling Stones ever committed to tape. Two decades on, she's done another one, and she's just calling it 'Covers' again! She can't do that, can she? Seems she can: this new installment is full of soulful gems given the Chan Marshall tweak, including curveballs from Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, and the Pogues, plus a gorgeous re-interpretation of 'Against the Wind' by Bob Seger, on limited gold vinyl. Heroine of the British folk revival ANNE BRIGGS released two iconic LPs in 1971, one a set of faithful traditionals, and a second, less-successful album of original compositions called 'The Time Has Come', which sounds positively revelatory now. A new comp called CINNAMON GIRL finds female folkies covering Neil Young for charity, and a set called D-VINE SPIRITUALS goes deep on the 60s Tennessee gospel label's 45 archives.


  
 
Big indie and pop releases this week include a long-awaited new record from THE LUMINEERS. We have very limited color editions of 'Brightside' plus black vinyl, in addition to a new silver vinyl pressing of TWENTY ONE PILOTS debut album 'Vessel', a limited reprint of CLAIRO's vinyl debut 'Diary 001', and a new record from UNDEROATH. 


 
 
The tireless ELVIS COSTELLO reconvenes his group THE IMPOSTERS for a raucous new LP called 'The Boy Named If', which echoes the barbed energy of his earliest classics. Progressive bluegrass wizards THE PUNCH BROTHERS return with 'Hell On Church Street', and we have new releases from THE WOMBATS with 'Fix Yourself Not The World' and THE WILD FEATHERS with 'Alvarado'.


 
 
Whether you're breaking in a brand-new turntable or warming up an old hi-fi, you can't go wrong with new vinyl remasters of some absolute classics of punk, pop and soul. GANG OF FOUR's genre-defining 'Entertainment' has a new edition via Matador, alongside limited edition color wax Rhino reissues of 'The Best of OTIS REDDING', 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones' from THE MONKEES, and the iconic 'Blank Generation' by RICHARD HELL & THE VOIDOIDS.


  
  
One of 2021's freshest surprises was the debut album from UK harpist and composer NALA SINEPHRO, which sold out everywhere within days and had folks calling us from out of state to track down a copy. Warp has delivered a second pressing of 'Space 1.8' to spread the love around, and we have copies again while they last (again!), so you can enjoy this critically acclaimed debut that's been compared to classics from Alice Coltrane and Bennie Maupin. British downtempo jazz firm THE VELS TRIO returns with a sparkling record called 'Celestial Greens', and a new album from Brazilian jazz legend and Azimuth co-founder ALEX MALHEIROS shows a funky master who hasn't lost a single step. The unassuming, grainy cover art on 'Under The Conditions', a new collection of archive house tunes from Chicago producer LERON CARSON, may give you a bit of pause, but have no fear. These tracks were recorded when Carson was an unknown teenager in the late 80s, with the most basic beat-making tools available to a poor kid at the time, and they are *outrageously* good by any measure. Carson inspired another fellow from his neighborhood to keep at it with his own music, a guy by the name of Theo Parrish, who has now released this essential set on his label Sound Signature. More great electronics in this week include a great Afro-caribbean influenced album from New Orleans beatmaker IFE, and a phenomenally icy new album from RELAXER, the New York producer formerly known as ITAL.


 
 
Jazz reissues this week include a lush, Verve/Acoustic Sounds audiophile edition of JOHN COLTRANE's 'Live at the Village Vanguard'; a new pressing of the unbelievably cool fusion that is HIROSHI SUZUKI's 1976 album 'Cat', plus a pair of Ictus label reissues featuring the boundary pushers ANDREA CENTAZZO, DEREK BAILEY, and STEVE LACY. 


 
 
Travelogues, soundwalks, and autobiographical sketches abound on some great records from composers at the outer reaches of jazz this week. Unstoppable South African pianist ABDULLAH IBRAHIM returns with 'Solotude', store fave JOHN CARROLL KIRBY delivers his first-ever soundtrack, for the unusual new adult animated film 'Cryptozoo', pianist and art curator SIMON LOVERMANN has put together a stunning multi-media album called 'Handwerke', which blends his extended piano technique with various rhythm boxes, and pairs each track with an analogous piece of visual art for a wonderful package. Not to be outdone, another artist who dabbles in music, WOLFGANG TILLMANS, delivers a stunning new collection of narrative ambient electronics called 'Moon In Earthlight'.


 
 
Lush balearic soundscapes featuring marimbas and sequencers in equal measure is here on a lovely new record from CHLOE THEVENIN & VASSILENA SERAFIMOVA called 'Sequenza'. Vocal artist and Holly Herndon protege LYRA PRAMUK returns with a striking new album called 'Delta', plus the revived Mille Plateaux label delivers two bracing new albums from female techno producers: SIMONA ZAMBOLI with 'Ethernity' and LENA SAITO with 'Downfall'.


 
 
Back in print this week: the elusive Van Dyke Parks-influenced VIC CHESNUTT album 'Ghetto Bells', a new color edition of the simmering 'Sinner Get Ready' by LINGUA IGNOTA; a super cool compilation called NAHMA 'A Gulf Polyphony' turns a list of leftfield producers loose to remix field recordings of Persian Gulf pearl divers (!!!), and the first ever vinyl edition of the explosive 'Modern' by the almighty Japanese noise/jazz unit HIJOKAIDAN. 



USED VINYL ALERT:

Hot damn, quite a spread in the Used Vinyl Alert this week! We've got a thorough run through 60s/70s classic rock and pop, plus a dream dive through dozens and dozens of seldom seen punk, indie and alternative from the earliest days up until the present.

Starting on the heavy side, we've got classics from Megadeth, Rollins Band, Godflesh, Motley Crue, Butthole Surfers, TSOL, Van Halen, the Descendents, PIL, Gov't Issue, GBH, the Wipers, Husker Du, Christian Death, Gang of Four, Tom Tom Club, Psychedelic Furs, the Chills, This Heat, and more in that vein.

Swinging towards the present day, we've got a slew of near mint, maybe even still sealed LPs from Bedhead, Tyler Segall, Polica, Cloud Nothings, Bill Callahan, Thee Oh Sees, Cat Power, Tortoise, Beach House, Dirty Projectors, Kurt Vile, Lower Dens, Mark Lanegan, Panda Bear, Neko Case, Calexico, and a whole lot more.

Too much newfangled noise for you? How about classics from Jimi Hendrix, King Crimson, Rush, Joni Mitchell, Dire Straits, Prince, James Brown, Steely Dan, T Rex, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Sir Doug, Dr. John, Blue Cheer, the Police, Cream, Lee Hazlewood, and more. A nice spread of soundtracks, jazz, blues, children's LPs, and classical rounds us out.

TOPS AT THE SHOP:

2021 STAFF TOP 10S can be found HERE





STRICTLY DISCS IS HIRING:

VINYL PRICING SPECIALIST AND/OR SHOP CLERK:

Required skills:

Excellent customer service skills; retail experience with ability to anticipate customer needs

Extreme Computer proficiency

A passion for music, and a broad, deep base of recorded music history

Knowledge of Goldmine standards & experience grading and pricing records

Knowledge of stereo equipment/functionality

Availability to work weekends

Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds repeatedly


To apply, submit letter of interest & resume to angie@strictlydiscs.com

SELL US YOUR CDS & LPS:

Yes, we are still buying! Call Ron to schedule (608.213.3610).







Ron, Ryan, Angie, Marty, Evan, Matt, Ed, Jack, Eric, Steve, Shep, Matt B. & Mark

        
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