Aloha newsletter readers. I want to say that I love each release week equally and unconditionally, like any loving parents, but the fact is, some of them are extra special. This week is a real 'Diamond Jubilee', because the CINDY LEE album is finally here. A vinyl edition has been universally wished-for ever since this modern masterpiece entered Earth's atmosphere last April, and for a time it did not seem likely to come out. The runaway viral success of this 2-hour long kaleidoscopic pop record, more of an endless playlist than a finite album, had overwhelmed its creator and prompted its performers to abandon a barebones tour that had gone from small print event listings to sold-out headlining overnight, and hadn't even been recorded with a physical release in mind at all, only available on a surreptitiously posted youtube clip, or as a download from the Cindy Lee Geocities (!!) page. Whether or not Pat Flegel, the Canadian musician behind the project, was just too humble or "in the zone" to realize that he had made one of the century's greatest pop albums is unclear, but it only makes its impact all the more genuinely astounding. So what does it sound like? In short, everything. A lot of ink has been spilled trying to account for it all (most of which I personally have avoided reading, opting just to hit play over and over again), but the handiest description I've seen is that it sounds like someone spinning a time-traveling radio dial that never, ever misses. Haunted doo-wop, forlorn mid-century Country and Western, dour black turtleneck era Velvets austerity, reverb soaked funk like something off of Twinight records, turgid Indonesian guitar tunings, Sonic Youthy scrapes, doomy Ultravoxian synthscapes, Elephant 6-style noise-collage raveups.... if I kept going, this letter would never end. Pat Flegel is that rare artist who has far-reaching taste and an eclectic record collection, sure, but also the ability to recreate all of it with his own unmistakable warped interpretation, and without much more than a guitar and some drum machines. As menacing as these songs may be, they contain a burning core of warmth, and melodies that will never leave your head. If this truly is the last Cindy Lee album, its a walk-off to beat them all. Who knows how long it will stay in print, but we got a lot. Come get you one. ## It's been well over a decade since the intrepid reissue label Yoga Records first introduced us to the sublime 1975 folk album by TED LUCAS, a Detroit studio musician who made just a box or two of the LP to give away to friends and moved on. Even that reissue has become scarce lately -- what's that? a super sweet rare record with a Detroit connection? Sounds like a job for Third Man Records, who have just delivered a lovely new edition. If you are a fan of jammy, cerebral folk loners (your Berts and your Towneses and your Nicks), or if you just want a new sure thing you've never heard, you absolutely have to welcome Ted into the crew. ## The mighty FRED AGAIN returns with another marvel of pop-ambient bliss called 'Ten Days', in the shop on white vinyl, flexing his rolodex once more with guests like Sampha, Anderson.Paak, and Emmylou Harris. ## At the risk of going extremely 90s emo dork-mode, I've just gotta say how unbelievable it is to have a reissue of CAPN JAZZ's lone full length album, 1995's 'Shmap'n Shmazz', in stock in the year 2025. I spent years looking for one single copy of this record and never ever found it, and here now we've got a whole stack of em. If this band's name means anything to you, it's likely because all of it's members went on to bigger, better, more influential things; bands like Joan Of Arc, American Football, the Promise Ring, and more. But a crucial prototype was established with this manic, joyful album, channeling the overpowering angst of proto-emo bands like Rites of Spring and Sunny Day Real Estate through the playful, ingenius polyglot of an extremely tight crew of Wheeling, Illinois, teenage overachievers.

Cult folk musician VASHTI BUNYAN's elegiac and lovely 2000s comeback album 'Lookaftering' gets an expanded reissue at a nice time to reconsider her entire excellent catalog. Sometime Wisconsinite LIAM GRANT lands on the legendary underground psych-folk label VHF with 'Prodigal Son', a gorgeous collection of freewheeling and weathered American primitive guitar. Who loves Canada and their many illustrious ambient musicians? Let's see some hands. The veteran TIM HECKER returns to Kranky with a new album called 'Shards' collecting his soundtrack work from the last few years, while LAURIE TORRES delivers the impressionistic piano album 'Apres Coup'.

New folk-rock and Americana albums are in from SUNNY WAR, 'Armageddon In A Summer Dress' comes through on pink vinyl and autographed, THE DELINES 'Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom', BASIA BULAT's 'Basia's Palace', and ANAIS MITCHELL's 'Hadestown Live From London'.

New Jazz vinyl: Sun Ra - Prophet (red vinyl) Dave Holland & Lionel Loueke - United Alexi Tuomarila - Departing the Wasteland Greg Foat - The Rituals Of Infinity

New electronic vinyl APHEX TWIN Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 LINEA ASPERA Linea Aspera Various - YU Wave ROBERT RENTAL Mental Detentions

New Hip-hop vinyl Boogie Mason - Bonsai Oddisee - Mental Liberation (blue vinyl) Rejjie Snow - Peace 2 Da World (blue vinyl) Young Thug - Slime Season 1 / Slime Season 2

Various - A Orillas Del Magdalena: Coastal Cumbias From Colombia’s Discos Fuentes Various - Remolino De Oro: Coastal Cumbias From Colombia’s Discos Fuentes 1961-1973 Amadou & Mariam - La Vie Est Belle Etta James - The Second Time Around (orange vinyl)

Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream (storm color vinyl) Silkworm - Developer (deluxe) Jules Reidy - Ghost/Spirit (clear red vinyl) BEHERIT Live In Praha, Cz

Ryan, Evan, Ed, Eric, Matt, Steve, Mark, Marty, Brad, Adam, Andrew, Rick, Dru, Ashley, Cypress & Dan.