For the Record
John Hiatt - The Eclipse Sessions
Vinyl LP pressing. The Eclipse Sessions, John Hiatt's newest album, offers up his strongest set of songs in years. Long celebrated as a skilled storyteller and keen observer of life's twists and turns, Hiatt can get at the heart of a knotty emotion or a moment in time with just a sharp, incisive lyric or witty turn of phrase. The 11 tracks presented in The Eclipse Sessions, from the breezy opener "Cry To Me," to the stark "Nothing In My Heart," the lost-love lamentation "Aces Up Your Sleeve" to the rollicking "Poor Imitation Of God," demonstrate that the singer-songwriter, now 66, is only getting better with age, his guitar playing more rugged and rootsy, his words wiser and more wry.
September Record Store Spotlight - Bettye LaVette - 1972 Muscle Shoals Sessions (Ltd. Ed. 180g)
Bettye LaVette, born Betty Jo Haskins, from Detroit, Michigan, is easily one of the most important yet sometimes overlooked soul singer and songwriter of all time. She made her first record at the age of 16 but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005 when she released the ANTI album, "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise," which was on many critics Best of 2005 lists. She did not grow up performing in the church like many of her contemporaries. In 1962 at the age of 16 she was signed by Johnnie Mae Matthews, a local record producer, and recorded the single, "My Man - He's A Lovin' Man" which became a Top Ten R&B hit after Atlantic Records bought distribution rights. The success of this single led to a tour with Clyde McPhatter, Ben E. King, Barbara Lynn and Otis Redding. She recorded the Wreich Holloway-written song, "Let Me Down Easy," on Calla Records in 1965 which became a chart hit (#48) and led to a brief stint with the James Brown Revue. After recording several different singles for local Detroit labels, Lavette signed to Silver Fox in 1969 and recorded a handful of songs, including two Top 40 R&B Hits: "He Made A Woman Out Of Me," and "Do Your Duty," both produced by Lelan Rogers. The Memphis studio musicians that played on both of these hits later became known as the Dixie Flyers. In 1972, Bettye signed with Atlantic/Atco and was sent to the famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama to record a full length album. Produced by Brad Shapiro and featuring the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, the album was supposed to originally be titled as Child of the Seventies but Atco chose to shelve the project at the time. After Bettye played her own personal recordings of Child of the Seventies for French soul music collector, Gilles Petard, he chased the master recordings at Atlantic Records where they were thought to have been destroyed in a fire. In 1999 he discovered the masters and licensed the material and released it in 2000 as "Souvenirs" on his Art and Soul label on CD. The album helped to spark renewed interest in Lavette and in 2003, "A Woman Like Me," was released and won the 2004 W.C Handy Award for "Comeback Blues Album of the Year." Bettye signed to the Rosebud Agency and was then brought to the attention of Andy Kaulkin at ANTI Records who signed her to a 3-album deal. The first project was produced by Joe Henry and featured an album of songs written entirely by women. The resulting album, "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise," was successful in helping to raise awareness on Bettye in 2005-2006. Rhino Handmade then reissued "Souvenirs" as "Child of the Seventies" on CD and added some previously unreleased 1973 tracks. Since her release on ANTI, she has gone on to many accomplishments, including receiving a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 2006, A Blues Music Award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Singer in 2008 and another Blues Music Award in 2016 for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year. If voted to win, this would be the first time that Bettye's classic 1972 Muscle Shoals Sessions would be released all in one place on a long playing vinyl record.
Pedro the Lion - Control (Ltd. Ed. yellow colored vinyl)
Limited yellow colored vinyl LP pressing. Pedro the Lion's third full-length album Control (2002) heralded another beautiful progression within the band's sound and lyrical vision. A deepening complexity to their songwriting mirrors the complexity of messages and lyrical content. Anchored by trademark rolling, indelible hooks and Dave Bazan's vocals, which swing from sweet indictments to mournful mocking, Pedro the Lion digs deep here to examine the vast disparity between the "haves" and the "have-nots." In early 2006, Bazan retired the Pedro the Lion moniker to continue on with solo work under his own name.
Prince - A Piano & a Microphone 1983
PRINCE - Piano & A Microphone 1983 - On what would have been his 60th birthday, the Prince estate announced that it is releasing a new album of previously unreleased home recordings, Piano and a Microphone 1983, set to arrive September 21st 2018. The LP's nine tracks were culled from cassette recordings Prince made at his piano at his Kiowa Trail home studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The estate teased the project with Prince's rollicking and rumbling rendition of the 19th century spiritual, "Mary Don't You Weep," which will also play during the end credits of Spike Lee's upcoming movie. The LP's nine tracks were culled from cassette recordings Prince made at his piano at his Kiowa Trail home studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The striking cover photo was shot by photographer and Prince's close collaborator Allen Beaulieu backstage at the 1999 tour.
Booker T & the M.G.'s - Green Onions (Ltd. Ed. Green Vinyl)
The debut album from Booker T & the MGs and only the fourth album every released by the legendary Stax label (the previous three had all appeared on the Atlantic label as part of their deal, so technically this is the first proper Stax album too), Green Onions is little short of a tour de force. Whilst many albums from fifty years ago now sound dated and stuck in the decade from which they originate, Green Onions is one of the true exceptions. Led by Booker T Jones on the keyboards, the sound is rounded out by Lewis Steinberg on bass, Steve Cropper on guitar and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. With Donald Duck Dunn later replacing Steinberg, the MGs would become the house band for Stax, as important to the label as the Funk Brothers were to Motown, but the difference was that the MGs got their own recording deal, with Green Onions the glorious result.
Death Cab for Cutie - Thank You for Today (Ltd. Ed. clear vinyl)
Vinyl LP pressing. 2018 release from the indie rock favorites. Thank You for Today was produced and mixed by Rich Costey (Fiona Apple, Franz Ferdinand, Muse), who also produced the band's last album the Grammy nominated Kintsugi. Thank You for Today marks the first Death Cab for Cutie release to see long time bandmates Gibbard, Nick Harmer, and Jason McGerr joined in the studio by new members Dave Depper (Menomena, Fruit Bats, Corin Tucker, Ray Lamontagne) and Zac Rae (My Brightest Diamond, Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, Gnarls Barkley). Depper and Rae have both been part of Death Cab's touring band since 2015.
The Kooks - Let's Go Sunshine (Ltd. Ed. white vinyl, 2xLP)
Seminal British Indie Pop band The Kooks return with their 5th album, "Let's Go Sunshine". The Kooks exploded onto the scene in 2006 with their debut album 'Inside In / Inside Out'. The heart and soul of "Let's go Sunshine" lies in it's hymns of lost innocence, fading relationships and the process of break-up and recovery. It's the sound of an ambitious, confident band stepping out and making a statement with their definitive album. Sing along indie anthems sit next to psychedelic flourishes, groove ridden blues and texture rich arena sized rock.
Amanda Shires - To The Sunset (Purple vinyl)
"It's all rock & roll - no golf!" is how acclaimed singer/songwriter/violinist Amanda Shires describes her electrifying fifth album, To The Sunset. She's borrowed a lyric from the effervescent track "Break Out the Champagne," one of ten deftly crafted songs that comprise her powerful new recording. The Texas-born road warrior, new mom, and recently minted MFA in creative writing has mined a range of musical influences to reveal an Amanda Shires many didn't know existed. "Isn't it refreshing?" Shires asks. Indeed. Distorted electric guitars, effects pedals, swirling keys and synths, and rockin' rhythms certainly suit Shires' visceral songcraft and lilting soprano.