Yet another snowy edition of the newsletter kicks off with some records that may provide necessary warmth. Two generously sized EPs from Tuareg guitarist and songwriter MDOU MOCTAR revisit classics from his already ballooning discography with alternate takes, live tracks, and drum machine demos. A collection of unreleased 1980s tunes from the grandfather of Malian blues ALI FARKA TOURE called 'Voyageur' provides a nice companion to the recent tribute to him by son Vieux Farka and Khruangbin. We've had an incredible run of high quality salsa reissues from the Craft label, and the latest restores the FANIA ALL STARS' 'Live At the Cheetah Vol. 2' to its proper glory, with Hector Lavoe, Johnny Pacheco, Ray Barretto, Ricardo Ray and many more at the peak of their powers.

Thom, Jonny, Tom, and presumably a couple other crewmen packed up THE SMILE show for some dates in the EU and the US, the former of which are documented on a very-limited disc called 'Europe: Live Recordings 2022'. The SILK SONIC summit of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, 'An Evening With Silk Sonic', gets a new vinyl pressing with an additional track added. PUSCIFER's alt-rock blue streak 'Money Shot' is back in print on vinyl for the first time since 2015, and we've got the reissue of the first album by DANIEL JOHNSTON, 'Songs Of Pain', for which I pass the mic to resident Johnston expert Marty, who assures us the album "delivers raw performances of fan favorites like "Wicked World" and "Living Life" through tape hiss and echoes. Exploring themes like religion, sex, and drug use his observations are equal parts comical, heartbreaking, and toe-tapping." Thanks Marty!

Open mic funcrushers SLEAFORD MODS keep adding fresh musicality to their necessary brand of caustic observation. On their latest, 'UK Grim', they've got Perry Farrell and Dry Cleaning in the mix. That kid's on the trapeze again! (Mallrats anyone) MILEY CYRUS returns to her rightful home in our earholes with 'Endless Summer Vacation'. HOMEBOY SANDMAN expands his recent record 'Anjelitu' with a deluxe edition, and we've got the new lp in from YEAT, the tiktok trap rapper from Oregon whose head always seems to be cold. 

The art and music of Georgia folk artist LONNIE HOLLEY has transcended time, place, and history for decades, and we've just started to get a better look at it as more and more musicians champion him. A new record from Holley called 'Oh Me Oh My' attentively daubs his unusual croon across a junkshop Eno backdrop assisted by big wigs like Moor Mother, Michael Stipe, and Justin Boniver. A trenchant, illuminating new various artists collection from Anthology Recordings called 'Blacklips Bar: Androgyns and Deviants' collects live recordings and DJ tracks from the NYC underground drag performance network spearheaded by ANOHNI in the early 90s. The incredible dark-folk wonder of CAROLA BAER's 1990 album 'The Story Of Valerie' gets a fresh pressing via the Concentric Circles label, who pulled this Dead Can Dancean gem out of the single copy of the cassette that exists. The World of Echo label compiles singles and rarities from the legendary Melbourne dream-pop group THE CAT'S MIAOW. 

Fantastic new records from PEARLA and RON GALLO keep the whipsmart indie folk coming, and we've got both of these in limited color variants. THE LOST BOYS soundtrack gets a needed reissue, plus we've got a freshly repackaged collection of the 90s/00s collabos between songwriting gurus ELVIS COSTELLO & BURT BACHARACH.

The Tone Poet crew deliver some serious hard bop heat with a gussied up edition of CARMELL JONES's 1961 debut 'The Remarkable Carmell Jones', which features sparkling contributions from Harold Land and Gary Peacock in their salad days. Jazz composer BRIAN BLADE and his group LIFECYCLES pay tribute to Bobby Hutcherson with a vast set called 'Now! and Forevermore'. Praises as always go to the Strut label, which has done some vital represses this week incluiding the mighty debut LP by MULATU ASTATKE and the NEW ORLEANS FUNK compilation.

The reissues of the mighty UNWOUND catalog reach all the way back to their earliest days with their blistering 91 demos which channeled Void and the Wipers in a usual dosage, much faster than their later material but not faster than Rhode Island thrash legends DROPDEAD, whose early 90s discography is back in print. Few bands nailed the post into post-rock like Louisville's RODAN did with their only LP, 'Rusty', back in print this week from Touch and Go alongside a reprint of the post-Bedhead band THE NEW YEAR's 2008 self-titled LP, full of magnificently crafted glowing guitar compositions.

This week's Used Vinyl drop is brimming with stone cold classics to the obscure with representation in all genres. Rock is doing the heavy lifting this week with titles from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Doors, U2, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Kinks, Santana, and Elton John. Including some scarcely seen releases from Alice Cooper, Velvet Underground, Black Sabbath, Talking Heads, Motley Crue, Red Death, Animal Collective, Built To Spill, and Archers of Loaf.

Folk and Country both come in swinging with great titles from Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Flatt & Scruggs, Doc Watson, Wanda Jackson, Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, Mickey Newbury, Jean Richie, and Sandy Bull.

We've got great Jazz classics and reissues from artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Quincy Jones, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Kenny Burrell, and Herbie Hancock. Jazz vocalists also make an appearance with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone.

The last few weeks we've had solid titles from contemporary Soul artists. This week we go back to the classics with Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind and Fire, The Commodores, James Brown, Roberta Flack, Gloria Gaynor, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and Donny Hathaway.

Rounding things out for the week we've got Children's records, Soundtracks, Blues, International, and Classical with what we've highlighted above.

SAVE THE DATE - RECORD STORE DAY 2023 IS APRIL 22ND

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