Cerca:zz top

The Best of ZZ Top (10 Legendary Texas Tales) is a greatest hits album by American rock band ZZ Top, released November 26, 1977.4 Spanning the years from 1971 to 1975, this compilation album does not contain any songs from Tejas, which was released the year before. The first ZZ Top Compilation with hits from their first six albums, including La Grange, Tush and Just Got Paid. This was released in the US last year and will now be available everywhere

ZZ Top are readying a new album titled RAW that was recorded in connection with the band’s wildly popular and critically lauded 2019 Netflix documentary That Little Ol’ Band From Texas. The first track set to be released is “Brown Sugar”, one of the earlier recordings in the band’s career. The Grammy-nominated feature from Banger Films and director Sam Dunn includes an interlude that finds the group’s classic line up -- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and the late Dusty Hill -- gathering for a very intimate session at Gruene Hall, “the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas” located in New Braunfels, in the heart of Texas hill country. That performance provided the basis for the RAW album release.

• Following on from the highly successful first two editions
of Dance Masters featuring the classics mixes from
maestros Shep Pettibone and Arthur Baker the spotlight
turns to another remix legend, John Luongo.
• Boston born, John is one of the truly legendary DJ's and
remixers of the Disco era. John got his break at Epic by
overdubbing percussion from salt shakers and spoons
onto a promo and then passing them back the tape. This
resulted in him being flown to New York, and put in a
studio (of his choice) to mix and produce Melba Moore`s
“You Stepped Into My Life”. From this point everything he
touched was a hit. He went onto remix Disco classics by
Jackie Moore – “This Time Baby”, Dan Hartman “Vertigo
/ Relight My Fire” and Patti Labelle “Music Is My Way Of
Life”.

• John, however was not afraid of remixing artists that
didn’t fit into the disco genre and this attitude is borne out
by the tracklisting of this compilation on which Gladys
Knight and The Pips rub shoulders with ZZ Top and Billy
Idol, and Baltimora appears alongside Bill Nelson and ILevel.
• “…if you played this whole thing, just put it on and
didn’t tell anyone it was me, they’d say ‘boy, what a great
group of songs this is!’” - John Luongo
• The collection is housed in a beautiful lift-off-lid box, with
a 16 page booklet featuring foreword by Arthur Baker, an
in-depth essay written by Alexis Petridis (Rock and Pop
reviewer for The Guardian) and complete with rare photos
from John’s personal collection plus a limited signed insert.

• All tracks remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound
Mastering.
• A 43-track 4CD edition is also available, along with a 2LP
vinyl edition featuring 16 highlights.

EPMD’s initial success in 1987 seemed to take a lot of people by surprise. Without build-up or fanfare, they launched this stunning debut 12” and, so ill-prepared were people for it, that the label was still misspelling their name.

Those early 12” copies of ‘It’s My Thing’ – and the hard to find UK 7” that followed shortly after – have them billed as EPEE MD. Before they were signed, they were going by EEPMD, but they decided to drop an E due to the success of the west coast’s Eazy E. The one person not surprised by their success, however, was hip-hop pioneer and producer Kurtis Mantronik, who actually signed them to Fresh Records.

It’s fitting that he’s the man that saw their promise, as he himself was one to go against the grain. His electro-influenced productions for Mantronix and Just Ice were ahead of their time, and perhaps in EPMD he saw kindred spirits. Because, at the time this dropped, hip-hop was going up tempo, taking its cue from James Brown samples and picking up the pace.

On both ‘It’s My Thing’ – underpinned by the languorous ‘Seven Minutes of Funk’ by The Whole Darn Family – and ‘You’re a Customer’, with its combination of ZZ Top and Steve Miller Band – Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith slow things right down. It gives their vocals time to breathe and allows us to enjoy the interplay of their metaphor and simile-heavy lyrics. As calling cards go, they don’t come any better than this.


• Stunning debut that has become a Hip Hop classic.

• Only previous 7” release very hard to find.

"The Sophs sind quasi aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht", sagen Rough-Trade-Mitgründer Geoff Travis und Jeannette Lee über ihr neuestes Signing: eine sechsköpfige Band aus L.A. mit dem feinsinnigen Namen The Sophs. Die kompromisslose Ehrlichkeit und der weite Soundkosmos der Band überzeugten sofort. Als Sänger Ethan Ramon ein Demo an seine Lieblingslabels schickte, rechnete er nicht mit einer Reaktion - doch schon am nächsten Tag meldete sich Rough Trade mit der Bitte um ein Gespräch. In den frühen Songs hörte das Label genau jene Kreativität, Vielseitigkeit und den draufgängerischen "Don"t expect me to act pretty"-Spirit, den The Sophs auf jede Bühne bringen: Ethan Ramon (Gesang), Sam Yuh (Keyboards), Austin Parker Jones (E-Gitarre), Seth Smades (Akustikgitarre), Devin Russ (Drums) und Cole Bobbitt (Bass). Die fünf Demo-Tracks bildeten die Blaupause für ihr Debütalbum "GOLDSTAR". Musikalisch bewegen sich The Sophs im Zickzack: Pop-Punk trifft auf Funk, Delta Blues auf ZZ Top. Ramons warme, kraftvolle Stimme wandert dabei wie ein vokales Chamäleon durch die Genres. "Wir versuchen nie, so vielseitig zu sein, wie wir am Ende klingen", sagt Ramon. Songwriting verstehen sie als Pop Art - ein spielerisches Zitieren, Verformen und Neuerschaffen. Oft entstehen Songs aus spontanen Ideen, die im Bandprozess eine völlig neue Richtung nehmen. Der Track "THE DOG DIES IN THE END" erinnert an 2000er-Pop-Punk, getragen von düsteren Gedankenspiralen und Akkordeon. "DEATH IN THE FAMILY" kombiniert sonnigen Rock mit bitterem Humor und der Sehnsucht nach Mitleid als Schutz vor Verantwortung. "GOLDSTAR" stellt dabei einfache, aber unbequeme Fragen nach Anerkennung und Moral. Weitere Highlights wie "SWEETIEPIE" und "BLITZED AGAIN" zeigen die Band zwischen Selbstentlarvung und euphorischer Energie - roh, lebendig und kompromisslos kreativ.

"The Sophs sind quasi aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht", sagen Rough-Trade-Mitgründer Geoff Travis und Jeannette Lee über ihr neuestes Signing: eine sechsköpfige Band aus L.A. mit dem feinsinnigen Namen The Sophs. Die kompromisslose Ehrlichkeit und der weite Soundkosmos der Band überzeugten sofort. Als Sänger Ethan Ramon ein Demo an seine Lieblingslabels schickte, rechnete er nicht mit einer Reaktion - doch schon am nächsten Tag meldete sich Rough Trade mit der Bitte um ein Gespräch. In den frühen Songs hörte das Label genau jene Kreativität, Vielseitigkeit und den draufgängerischen "Don"t expect me to act pretty"-Spirit, den The Sophs auf jede Bühne bringen: Ethan Ramon (Gesang), Sam Yuh (Keyboards), Austin Parker Jones (E-Gitarre), Seth Smades (Akustikgitarre), Devin Russ (Drums) und Cole Bobbitt (Bass). Die fünf Demo-Tracks bildeten die Blaupause für ihr Debütalbum "GOLDSTAR". Musikalisch bewegen sich The Sophs im Zickzack: Pop-Punk trifft auf Funk, Delta Blues auf ZZ Top. Ramons warme, kraftvolle Stimme wandert dabei wie ein vokales Chamäleon durch die Genres. "Wir versuchen nie, so vielseitig zu sein, wie wir am Ende klingen", sagt Ramon. Songwriting verstehen sie als Pop Art - ein spielerisches Zitieren, Verformen und Neuerschaffen. Oft entstehen Songs aus spontanen Ideen, die im Bandprozess eine völlig neue Richtung nehmen. Der Track "THE DOG DIES IN THE END" erinnert an 2000er-Pop-Punk, getragen von düsteren Gedankenspiralen und Akkordeon. "DEATH IN THE FAMILY" kombiniert sonnigen Rock mit bitterem Humor und der Sehnsucht nach Mitleid als Schutz vor Verantwortung. "GOLDSTAR" stellt dabei einfache, aber unbequeme Fragen nach Anerkennung und Moral. Weitere Highlights wie "SWEETIEPIE" und "BLITZED AGAIN" zeigen die Band zwischen Selbstentlarvung und euphorischer Energie - roh, lebendig und kompromisslos kreativ.

Die Jimi Barbiani Band ist das aktuelle Projekt des italienischen Blues-Rock-Slide-Gitarristen Jimi Barbiani, der zu den besten seines Fachs in Europa zählt. Sein Stil ist geprägt von den Einflüssen Jimi Hendrix", Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck, Free und Gov"t Mule. Die einzigartige Soundmischung der Band entsteht in der Wechselwirkung der unterschiedlichen Persönlichkeiten ihrer Mitglieder. Eine treibende Rhythmus-Sektion legt den Teppich für das fulminante und beeindruckende Gitarrenspiel des Maestros. Die drei Alben der Band ("Back On The Tracks", "Blue Side" und "Boogie Down The Road - Live!") verkauften sich nicht nur in seiner Heimat sehr gut, sondern fanden auch in den USA ihre Liebhaber. Videos von Jimi Barbiani erreichen mitunter Klickzahlen von über 500.000 Views. Bevor es im Winter/Frühjahr 2026 wieder auf Tournee durch Europa geht - es stehen auch einige Festivals an - erscheint mit "Still In Love" der neue Longplayer auf CD, Vinyl und natürlich digital. Kernstück des Albums ist die fast achtminütige Version von Prince" "Purple Rain". Hier zieht Barbiani alle Register - das Genie aus Minnesota hätte seine Freude daran gehabt. Der JBB beherrscht aber auch durchaus leisere und sanftere Töne, wie der verträumte akustische Instrumentaltrack "Little Martha" zeigt. Das anfänglich leicht schleppende "Spend Me Your Light" hingegen versprüht reichlich Southern-Feeling, während bei "We Must Dream" dem Boogie gehuldigt wird - irgendwo zwischen Canned Heat und ZZ Top. Wer auf bodenständigen, eingängigen Bluesrock steht, ist hier richtig.

With the release of Make a Change, their third album, Blue Deal definitively steps into the league of the greats. The German quartet delivers a perfect manifesto of Blues-Rock here, featuring all the ingredients that make the genre beautiful. It"s impeccably produced and performed, further highlighting compositions whose "hit potential" immediately catches the eye. The influences are clear and embraced (Deep Purple, ZZ Top, Bad Company) without ever veering into plagiarism. There is now a distinct "Blue Deal touch" that explains why the band is today THE reference for blues in Germany, with the potential to conquer the rest of Europe...and the world. Make a Change will be the perfect vehicle to serve this fine ambition !

Das dritte Album der Supersuckers aus Tucson, AZ - "The Sacrilicious Sounds of the Supersuckers" von 1995 - ist ein Klassiker und endlich wieder erhältlich, und zwar auf limitiertem, undurchsichtigem, rotem Vinyl! "The Sacrilicious Sounds of The Supersuckers" wurde von Paul Leary von den Butthole Surfers produziert und ist wütender, höhnischer Punkrock, der die besondere Mischung aus Hardrock, Punk und anspruchsloser Country-Kultur der Band perfekt auf den Punkt bringt. The Damned trifft ZZ Top? Die Motörhead des Südwestens? So etwas in der Art, sicher, aber letztendlich sind The Supersuckers ihr eigenes Ding, und auf "The Sacrilicious Sounds..." - und vor allem auf der Single "Born With a Tail" - beginnen die kläglichen Country-Klagen von Sänger Eddie Spaghetti selbstbewusster durch das rohe Punk-Aggregat zu stoßen. Apropos Aggro: Dies ist das einzige Album der Band mit Rick Sims von den Punk-Legenden Didjits aus Illinois an der Gitarre, und Sims treibt die ohnehin schon gewaltige Wand aus übersteuerten Gitarren der Supersuckers pflichtbewusst in die Höhe. Als zusätzliches Schmankerl übernimmt Sims den Leadgesang bei dem rasanten "Run Like a Motherfucker".

Blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa is back with Breakthrough, his powerful new studio album dropping July 18th.

Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes, Journey) and co-written with Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Breakthrough captures Bonamassa at the height of his creative powers. Expanding his signature sound while staying true to the deep blues roots that launched his storied career, the album promises raw emotion, blistering guitar work, and fresh sonic twists.

With over 50 albums to his name and an unprecedented 28 #1 Billboard Blues Albums, Bonamassa proves yet again that he's not just keeping the blues alive--he's driving it into the future.

* In April the European tour starts.
* Joe Bonamassa has sold well over 4 million records worldwide and has had 20+ #1 Billboard Blues Albums
* Joe Bonamassa has been featured on the cover of virtually every guitar magazine multiple times. His name is notorious among guitarists not only for being a virtuoso, but also for his incredible collection of vintage guitars, gear and memorabilia.

Tracks: Breakthrough / Trigger Finger / I'll Take The Blame / Drive By The Exit Sign / Broken Record / Shake This Ground / Still Walking With Me / Life After Dark / You Don't Own Me / Pain's On Me

"1980 was a huge year in pop music with every genre competing for hits. We have already included many tracks on the records of the 1980 Yearbook, the 80-84 Final Chapter, and their extras so far in our appreciation of the year…

Those tracks were generally the bigger hits of the year, with their chart achievement a factor in their inclusion – however – that’s not the whole singles story of the year, and our celebration of 1980 wouldn’t be complete without shining a light on some of the years’ singles that have been compiled much less frequently over the years.

Welcome to THE VAULT for 1980… Some of the tracks included were Top 40 hits, some missed the chart completely. Some were representative of massive selling albums, and some were big hits in the U.S. and not in the U.K… but all are part of the wonderful pop story of 1980. "

Very little is known about Joe Prichard or his sidekicks, except that the band, which hailed from Missouri, drew its inspiration from influences far and wide, resulting in each of the five tracks being very different in character, ranging from the power chords and staccato guitar breaks of the Jimmy Page variety, to the throaty sax of 12-bar blues specialists Climax as well as the dual guitars of ZZ Top. There’s even a nine-minute jam a la Jethro Tull or Traffic with flute and sax giving a decidedly jazzy feel to proceedings. Originally released in 1974, this is another extremely rare record now reissued by Riding Easy Records. "Pro-sounding 1970s rarity with a ballsy rock sound and songs ranging from ambitious prog over bluesy bar-rock into macho FM rock postures. It’s solid across the board with excellent guitar leads, soulful vocals, and a versatile band. Keyboards, woodwinds and elaborate arrangements provide a prog-AOR vibe that may turn some off, although there’s enough groove to keep one’s attention throughout the four long tracks." – (Acid Archives)

Introducing the ultimate Rock and Power Ballads collection - NOW That’s What I Call Rock Anthems – Out 31st May! Get ready to crank up the volume and let the music take you on a journey through 79 epic hits, spread across 4 CDs.and with 45 epic hits on 3-LP’s pressed in stunning Neon Violet Vinyl

Mit seinem zweiten Studioalbum über Better Noise Music "Sorry For Nothing", erobert Cory Marks sein Territorium und präsentiert eine explosive Mischung aus 13 ungeschminkten Songs, die zu gleichen Teilen aus Arena-Rock und Roots-Country bestehen. Die Kombination hat sich für Marks als Erfolgsrezept etabliert, während er auf Tourneen mit Five Finger Death Punch, ZZ Top und Brantley Gilbert ein buntes Publikum zusammenbrachte und beim diesjährigen Boots and Hearts Festival mit Nickelback auf der Hauptbühne stand. "Sorry For Nothing" wurde von Kevin Churko und Andrew Baylis produziert und ist ein willkommenes Zeichen der Einigkeit, in einer Welt die geteilter nicht sein könnte. "Mir ging es noch nie um Abspaltung", sagt er. "Ich wollte immer Teil von etwas sein, aber ich bahne mir meinen eigenen Weg, tue, was ich will, und versuche, die Menschen zusammenzubringen." Das neue Album ist ab dem 11. Oktober überall Digital, als CD und als Vinyl erhältlich.

Vinyl The project is the work of a collaborative team headed by Tommy Henriksen - veteran rock session bassist/guitarist, creative director for Alice Cooper and current member of Hollywood Vampires (Rock supergroup featuring Joe Perry, Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp). Henriksen worked alongside the legendary Diamond-certified producer Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain) who emerged from retirement to executive produce the project. Combining elements of David Bowie’s apocalyptic vision, The Who’s bombastic fury, and ZZ Top’s power blues, the dynamic album boasts features from Phil Collen of Def Leppard and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

In The Heart of the Young (auch bekannt als Winger II) ist das zweite Studioalbum der Rockband Winger.
Es wurde 1990 veröffentlicht und war ein kommerzieller Erfolg. Das Album wurde mit Platin ausgezeichnet
und enthält die Hits „Easy Come Easy Go“, „Can’t Get Enuff“ und „Miles Away“, letzterer erreichte die
Top 20 der Billboard-Single-Charts.
Nach der Veröffentlichung des Albums ging Winger auf eine 13-monatige Welttournee, bei der er mit Bands
wie Kiss, Scorpions und ZZ Top auftrat.

Formed in 2007, The Boxmasters have recorded an impressive and diverse catalogue of music that touches on their love of a wide array of influences, but most importantly, the rock and roll of the 1960’s. Love & Hate In Desperate Places is their 17th album and the ten songs evince a wry perspective on human nature and love. The lively melodic rock cloaks the wry wit of the lyrics. The album was produced by The Boxmasters, Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew, who also wrote every song. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear obvious odes to the Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys, but also important to The Boxmasters are The Mothers of Invention, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Big Star. Since forming The Boxmasters, several long-time friends have contributed to the sound of the band, but the core of The Boxmasters has always been Andrew and Thornton. As primary songwriters, the sound of the Boxmasters has been an evolution as the duo constantly strive to find new inspiration, new sounds and new ways of expressing what is in their hearts and on their minds. But at the core, there is a backbeat, a lyric with meaning and music played with emotion. As a touring band, The Boxmasters have cultivated a rabid cult fanbase across the United States and Canada. Opening for the likes of ZZ Top, Steve Miller, George Thorogood and Kid Rock The Boxmasters have proven to win over large audiences. As a headliner, frequent stops in Kansas City at “Knuckleheads”, Springfield, Illinois at “Boondocks” and “Merrimack Hall” in Huntsville, Alabama have shown dedicated yet still growing audiences. Two appearances at Levon Helm’s “Midnight Ramble” in Woodstock, New York were highlight performances for the band, as well as the “Ramble at The Ryman” that Levon hosted in 2008. The Boxmasters performed on “The Grand Ole Opry” in 2015, another in a growing resume of must-play venues.

Darren Hayman New Starts are a spikey, fresh sounding band recalling the poppier ends of new wave and angular guitar rock. Their influences include The Cars, Breeders, Bay City Rollers, The Velvet Underground and ZZ Top. Lead singer Darren Hayman has his own long career running from the late 90s with John Peel faves Hefner to his more recent thematic and historical albums dealing with the English Civil War, William Morris and forgotten rural idylls. “I wanted a band again,” says Hayman, “and not a band that just backed me up and played my old songs. When we form our first bands in our teens we just find some friends and work through the musical differences. I usually look for players who play in a way I’m used to. This time I looked for variance and was led by people’s personality.” Guitarist Joely Smith of South London’s noise-pop adults and recently DIY-punks Fresh was recommended by a mutual friend who said, ‘She makes everything better’. Hayman and Smith shared a coffee and agreed on the correct number of guitar pedals and decided to proceed without an audition. “There is a tendency for me to make my chords too pretty. Joely cuts against that and plays in the opposite direction.” Hayman is a fan of rules and constraints and employed a new, oblique strategy on this record. “Even though I wrote all the songs, I wanted the songs to belong to everyone during arrangement. I decided that I would say ‘yes’ to every suggestion from the band, regardless of my instinct.” This made the songs warp and bend into new shapes and ensured that the record was the product of four individuals. Bassist Giles Barrett and drummer Will Connor come from funky afro beat influenced band Tigercats. “Pretty much the only rhythm I use, left to my own devices, is the ‘road runner’ rhythm. Will takes to care to find where the drum beat can be and we always end up somewhere I didn’t expect.” More Break Up Songs is a collection of 12 Break Up songs because Darren broke up with someone. Again. “I suck’, he says, “But it’s never anyone’s fault. It makes me very sad but I do have to work through these things in song and there’s always something to learn. I try to make songs about breakups that could be understood by both parties. I’m not interested in nasty songs.” Opening song ‘Little Stone in my Heart’ blisters along with Joely’s wildest guitars. The protagonist will do anything to make things right, but nothing ever is. ‘Under the Striplights’ has driving, choppy, incessant riffs, and is about the need to be anywhere but somewhere other than here. We could be under the moon or under the strip lights as long as we have each other. Another barely kept rule that Darren instigated on this album was that each song would be a tonal equivalent to one from The Velvet Underground’s third album. To that end ‘Don’t Need Persuading’ is this record’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ with the narrator being unable to break free of a vortex, knowing they will stay the night against all better judgment. ‘I’ve had a long standing distrust of the guitar,’ says Darren, ‘despite it being my primary instrument for twenty years. I thought it was time I made a record with two guitars and drums and bass. I wanted it to be bright, immediate and young sounding, despite the fact I’m old. We recorded it in four days and I think this might be the record a lot of my audience has wanted me to make for a long time.’ “bold and unique" The Sunday Times. // “Hayman has hit a creative purple patch… a treat” Mojo // “uniquely intimate and very satisfying”

Das Blues-Debüt des legendären Gitarristen und Songwriters enthält Gastauftritte von Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Chris Stapleton, Beth Hart, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Gary Clark Jr, Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), Demi Lovato, Dorothy, und Tash Neal am Gesang. "Orgy of the Damned" ist eine Hommage an den Blues - eine Sammlung von zwölf dynamischen Songs, die Blues-Klassiker mit einem reduzierten, instinktiven Ansatz neu belebt. Die erste Single "Killing Floor" - mit Brian Johnson von AC/DC am Gesang und Steven Tyler von Aerosmith an der Mundharmonika - ist eine elektrisierende, raue und ungezügelte Version von Howlin' Wolfs Chicago-Blues-Standard aus dem Jahr 1964.

Das Blues-Debüt des legendären Gitarristen und Songwriters enthält Gastauftritte von Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Chris Stapleton, Beth Hart, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Gary Clark Jr, Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), Demi Lovato, Dorothy, und Tash Neal am Gesang. "Orgy of the Damned" ist eine Hommage an den Blues - eine Sammlung von zwölf dynamischen Songs, die Blues-Klassiker mit einem reduzierten, instinktiven Ansatz neu belebt. Die erste Single "Killing Floor" - mit Brian Johnson von AC/DC am Gesang und Steven Tyler von Aerosmith an der Mundharmonika - ist eine elektrisierende, raue und ungezügelte Version von Howlin' Wolfs Chicago-Blues-Standard aus dem Jahr 1964.

EIGHTEEN AND I LIKE IT… (MISC. COLOURED VINYL))if you survived trips 1-17 with one tiny speck of psychedelic sunshine intact, Brown Acid The 18th Trip will be your coming of age nightmare. Vintage underground '70s hard rock, coming at you from bizarre angles, local scene wasteland America when everybody was out for themselves and the drugs went bleak. The guitars kill, the attitude is twisted, even the sex is headed down the wrong road. Real people, no compromise, pure and potent. Get stoked, take the 18th Trip and know that the artists will get paid for pulverizing your soul! "People… are you ready?, 'cause the music now is getting so heavy"… Back Jack out of St. Louis, Missouri in 1974 launch our trip with "Bridge Waters Dynamite". It's an invocation to rock flashing on Mark Farner whooping up a Grand Funk crowd, then getting to the point quickly with berserk guitar assaults. Heavy riff with power chord stalks beneath as you take their advice… get loose and blow up the past. Smokin' Buku Band dropped my jaw with the audacious track "Hot Love" coming on like some fractured fever dream burlesque of Led Zep moves out of Hollywood in 1980. Swooping elongated vocals above, a total Zep chord move at the end of each verse. Writer/producer Steve Shauger aka Shag Stevens gets a brilliantly messed up sound quality here, the ideal polar opposite of slick. The extended guitar break is an epitome of serendipitously crude virtuosity, simply outrageous! Coming at you from way outta left field is "Moby Shark" by Atlantis, a hilarious and strange Baltimore pre-punk vibed dose of D.I.Y. meets hard rock. Lon Talbot is the mastermind, the flip side of this impossibly rare Mekon Records label single was featured in an obscure 1978 B-movie titled "The Alien Factor". Follow the lyrics closely, when the ominous jaws jaws jaws start coming after you you you… the song's big hook is so preposterously catchy the shark attack feels like good news. Inquiring minds should know that the band formerly known as Atlantis can now be found by searching for the Lon Talbot Group! Tommy Stuart and the Rubberband's "Peeking Through Your Window" from 1970 opens with a spooky organ riff, slips into a gushy fuzz/organ groove akin to "Mustache In Your Face” by Pretty. The singer creates downright creepy vibes, a stalker peeking through the girl's mind like a peeping Tom at the window up to no good. The lyrics evoke a disturbing scenario. Tommy Stuart also made a strange LP titled Hound Dog Man in 1977 and some terrific rare garage singles under the names Magnificent Seven and The Omen & Their Love in the mid '60s. Nothing better than an angry two chord guitar attack with cowbell to set the stage for this rant about getting "Ripped Off" by love. Taken from their rare 1977 LP on Dynamite Records, Chicago Triangle was Marvey Esparza, Dave Guereca, Jose 'Tarr' Perez and Robert Aguilera. They unleash such strong brain-scrubbing wah wah frenzy in the guitar break here that it seems to perversely mock it's own intensity! Like I said, Brown Acid the 18th Trip comes at you from all kinds of uncanny angles. Damnation of Adam Blessing out of Cleveland, Ohio unleashed a stone killer psychedelic hard rock classic "Cookbook" in the late '60s, this track "Nightmare" from 1973 has them cooking again at full power. A different singer, name change to Damnation and then Glory, unleashing a deadly dose of dark progressive heavy rock drama peaking when spooky 'oooo-wa-oooo' background vocals emerge during a bizarre spoken bit. It unfolds like a mini-epic and includes some remarkably brutal guitar and turbulent organ, too. "Swing your sword, all aboard… bid farewell to the dreamer" Dalquist exclaims. Cynical view of human nature, idealism is over, war is coming, it always does. Opens with a cold menacing riff and atmosphere reminiscent of "Synthezoid Heartbreak" by Maya. Mournful despondent vocals ride an insistent churning groove, gnarly guitar break moves into free noise territory. This rare track is from a local various artists benefit album titled Kangaroo Jam issued for the Waco Family Abuse Center in Texas circa 1980. The Pawnbrokers "Realize" is prime proto heavy rock emerging out of psychedelic garage roots in 1968 Fargo, North Dakota. Unusual arrangement, terrific sustain guitar tones like on the first Blue Cheer LP, even a rip on Hendrix "Manic Depression" with unison voice and guitar ascent near the end. They made three 45s and were active from '65 to '69. Hats off to Blake English, Kent Richey, Paul Rogne and Steve Harrison, you nailed it in just a hair over two minutes! As pure and creative as the original psychedelic garage hard rock gets. Parchment Farm from Union, Missouri gigged with the likes of ZZ Top and Foghat back in the day and unleashed the amazing "Songs Of The Dead" in 1971. Primitive riff/chord pattern dosed with some funky prog moves, sky turning black, 'is this heaven or hell' type disoriented confusion… may as well grab your guitar and sing songs to the dead. Robert 'Ace' Williams on bass, Paul Cockrum on guitar, Gary Reed on keys and Micky Waterman on drums, replacing Mike Dulany (R.I.P.) Cool that they use the Blue Cheer misspelling from Vincebus Eruptum for the band name! Ominous organ, thick minimalist fuzz riff, funky psychedelic wah wah flashes and freaky sex combine in one twisted dance titled "Rockin' Chair" by Brothers Of The Ghetto. Out of Chicago in 1975 with some Santana atmospherics and a delicious fuzz wah screamin' guitar break, the groove is highlighted by an off the wall vocal which sounds eerily detached in a subtly sleazy way. Rene Maxwell is the writer of this hard-rock boogie-down hybrid straight out of the twilight zone. It was issued on Ghetto, a subsidiary of the peculiar Kiderian label that released the Creme Soda LP. Now that your head is totally skewered, go Back Jack and play side one again! (Words by Paul Major)

EIGHTEEN AND I LIKE IT… (MISC. COLOURED VINYL))if you survived trips 1-17 with one tiny speck of psychedelic sunshine intact, Brown Acid The 18th Trip will be your coming of age nightmare. Vintage underground '70s hard rock, coming at you from bizarre angles, local scene wasteland America when everybody was out for themselves and the drugs went bleak. The guitars kill, the attitude is twisted, even the sex is headed down the wrong road. Real people, no compromise, pure and potent. Get stoked, take the 18th Trip and know that the artists will get paid for pulverizing your soul! "People… are you ready?, 'cause the music now is getting so heavy"… Back Jack out of St. Louis, Missouri in 1974 launch our trip with "Bridge Waters Dynamite". It's an invocation to rock flashing on Mark Farner whooping up a Grand Funk crowd, then getting to the point quickly with berserk guitar assaults. Heavy riff with power chord stalks beneath as you take their advice… get loose and blow up the past. Smokin' Buku Band dropped my jaw with the audacious track "Hot Love" coming on like some fractured fever dream burlesque of Led Zep moves out of Hollywood in 1980. Swooping elongated vocals above, a total Zep chord move at the end of each verse. Writer/producer Steve Shauger aka Shag Stevens gets a brilliantly messed up sound quality here, the ideal polar opposite of slick. The extended guitar break is an epitome of serendipitously crude virtuosity, simply outrageous! Coming at you from way outta left field is "Moby Shark" by Atlantis, a hilarious and strange Baltimore pre-punk vibed dose of D.I.Y. meets hard rock. Lon Talbot is the mastermind, the flip side of this impossibly rare Mekon Records label single was featured in an obscure 1978 B-movie titled "The Alien Factor". Follow the lyrics closely, when the ominous jaws jaws jaws start coming after you you you… the song's big hook is so preposterously catchy the shark attack feels like good news. Inquiring minds should know that the band formerly known as Atlantis can now be found by searching for the Lon Talbot Group! Tommy Stuart and the Rubberband's "Peeking Through Your Window" from 1970 opens with a spooky organ riff, slips into a gushy fuzz/organ groove akin to "Mustache In Your Face” by Pretty. The singer creates downright creepy vibes, a stalker peeking through the girl's mind like a peeping Tom at the window up to no good. The lyrics evoke a disturbing scenario. Tommy Stuart also made a strange LP titled Hound Dog Man in 1977 and some terrific rare garage singles under the names Magnificent Seven and The Omen & Their Love in the mid '60s. Nothing better than an angry two chord guitar attack with cowbell to set the stage for this rant about getting "Ripped Off" by love. Taken from their rare 1977 LP on Dynamite Records, Chicago Triangle was Marvey Esparza, Dave Guereca, Jose 'Tarr' Perez and Robert Aguilera. They unleash such strong brain-scrubbing wah wah frenzy in the guitar break here that it seems to perversely mock it's own intensity! Like I said, Brown Acid the 18th Trip comes at you from all kinds of uncanny angles. Damnation of Adam Blessing out of Cleveland, Ohio unleashed a stone killer psychedelic hard rock classic "Cookbook" in the late '60s, this track "Nightmare" from 1973 has them cooking again at full power. A different singer, name change to Damnation and then Glory, unleashing a deadly dose of dark progressive heavy rock drama peaking when spooky 'oooo-wa-oooo' background vocals emerge during a bizarre spoken bit. It unfolds like a mini-epic and includes some remarkably brutal guitar and turbulent organ, too. "Swing your sword, all aboard… bid farewell to the dreamer" Dalquist exclaims. Cynical view of human nature, idealism is over, war is coming, it always does. Opens with a cold menacing riff and atmosphere reminiscent of "Synthezoid Heartbreak" by Maya. Mournful despondent vocals ride an insistent churning groove, gnarly guitar break moves into free noise territory. This rare track is from a local various artists benefit album titled Kangaroo Jam issued for the Waco Family Abuse Center in Texas circa 1980. The Pawnbrokers "Realize" is prime proto heavy rock emerging out of psychedelic garage roots in 1968 Fargo, North Dakota. Unusual arrangement, terrific sustain guitar tones like on the first Blue Cheer LP, even a rip on Hendrix "Manic Depression" with unison voice and guitar ascent near the end. They made three 45s and were active from '65 to '69. Hats off to Blake English, Kent Richey, Paul Rogne and Steve Harrison, you nailed it in just a hair over two minutes! As pure and creative as the original psychedelic garage hard rock gets. Parchment Farm from Union, Missouri gigged with the likes of ZZ Top and Foghat back in the day and unleashed the amazing "Songs Of The Dead" in 1971. Primitive riff/chord pattern dosed with some funky prog moves, sky turning black, 'is this heaven or hell' type disoriented confusion… may as well grab your guitar and sing songs to the dead. Robert 'Ace' Williams on bass, Paul Cockrum on guitar, Gary Reed on keys and Micky Waterman on drums, replacing Mike Dulany (R.I.P.) Cool that they use the Blue Cheer misspelling from Vincebus Eruptum for the band name! Ominous organ, thick minimalist fuzz riff, funky psychedelic wah wah flashes and freaky sex combine in one twisted dance titled "Rockin' Chair" by Brothers Of The Ghetto. Out of Chicago in 1975 with some Santana atmospherics and a delicious fuzz wah screamin' guitar break, the groove is highlighted by an off the wall vocal which sounds eerily detached in a subtly sleazy way. Rene Maxwell is the writer of this hard-rock boogie-down hybrid straight out of the twilight zone. It was issued on Ghetto, a subsidiary of the peculiar Kiderian label that released the Creme Soda LP. Now that your head is totally skewered, go Back Jack and play side one again! (Words by Paul Major)

Australischer Rock-Glanz trifft auf 80s Sunset Strip! The Neptune Power Federation kehren mit ihrem sechsten Album zurück, einer Sammlung fieberhafter Night Stories, untermauert mit purem Rock! Die vertonten Kindergeschichten mit einem ausgesprochen US-Rock-Sound der frühen 1980er Jahre sind inspiriert vom unbeschwerten und rücksichtslosen Sunset Strip in LA. Und hier wendet sich die Band bei 'Goodnight My Children' auch dem Radiorock der späten 1970er Jahre zu. Die acht Tracks feuern mit purer Rock-Inbrunst, inkl. dröhnender Gitarrensoli und dem stets markant verlockendem und hypnotisierenden Gesang von Front-Lady Screamin' Loz Sutch. Dieses Album dürfte die bisher beste Vocal-Performance der Sängerin mit dem beeindruckenden Kopfschmuck sein.
Die Sessions waren organisch und intuitiv, ermöglichten es Sutch so, die klassischen Pop-Strukturen der Tracks zu erweitern. Perfekt zum Album-Thema, das eine Sammlung nächtlicher Geschichten symbolisiert, die, so schrecklich sie auch sein mögen, den Zuhörer in der fürsorglichen Umarmung von Sutch, der kaiserlichen Priesterin, zurücklassen. Und als zusätzlichen Bonus erhalten die Fans ein illustriertes Märchenbuch, das die Veröffentlichung begleiten wird.
Die Band wird Ende Februar / Anfang März auch Deutschland-Konzerte spielen und dabei u.a. in Hamburg das 'Hell Over Hammaburg'-Festival beehren.

Rock Hard (10/10 Pkt.)
"Wie starb Sid Vicious? Wo ist Richie Edwards? Wann kommt ein neues Guns-N´-Roses-Album? Was ist die wahre Identität von Jens Peters? In die Reihe der großen Mysterien des Rock fügt sich das Rätsel, warum THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION in gottverdammten kleinen Clubs spielen, während die konzeptionell ähnlich gelagerten Ghost Arenen füllen. Mangelnde Vielfalt ist nicht die Ursache: Die Aussies packen rustikalen Rock´n´Roll, Düster-Doom und Schrägo-Psych ebenso in ihre knallbunte Wundertüte wie überlebensgroßes Musiktheater mit viel Pomp, Musical-Flair und Pop-Appeal. Die Songs stehen dem Durchbruch auch nicht im Wege. Sie sind entweder ziemlich gut, verdammt gut oder schlicht großartig. Manche tänzeln leichtfüßig im glamourösen Power-Pop-Gewand einher (´Let Us Begin´, ´Twas A Lie´), andere klingen, als würden Heart Black-Sabbath-Stücke interpretieren (´Lock & Key´). Wieder andere lassen New-Age-bewegte Queen auf die synthetisierten ZZ Top der Achtziger treffen (´Woe Be Father´s Troubled Mind´, ´Hariette Mae´). Viele lassen sich auf Anhieb mitpfeifen, wobei die Eingängigkeit nie auf Kosten der Tiefe geht. Vielmehr sind die Arrangements so detailverliebt und wendungsreich, dass es fast zu Tränen rührt. Doch kommen wir zum "unique selling point" der wahnwitzigen Truppe: dem intergalaktischen, Brautkleid tragenden Christbaum mit Hirschgeweih namens Screamin Loz Sutch. Dass sich die "Imperial Priestress" in den hochherrschaftlichen Gesangskreisen von Farida Lemouchi, Chrissie Hynde oder gar Ann Wilson bewegt, war bereits erwiesen. Der hochdramatische Titeltrack zeigt jetzt, dass sie nicht von dieser Welt ist. Kurz: Es gibt keinen Grund, warum TNPF nicht längst Megastars sind - außer einer großen kosmischen Ungerechtigkeit. Es ist an euch, diese zu korrigieren!"

Legacy (12/15 Pkt.)
"Die australische Ausnahmekapelle um Screaming Loz Sutch, ihres Zeichens Exzentrikerin und Frontfrau mit großartiger Stimme, legt das sechste Album auf den Tisch, und bereits nach dem ersten Hören ist klar: Das Ding könnte verdammt groß werden! Full Energy Rock'n'Roll spielst du nicht, ohne, wenn du es gut machst, an die Großen zu erinnern. Aber auch wenn die Dinos im Sound der Band präsent sind, wirken die Songs easy und frisch von der Leber weg gerockt ('Let Us Begin' und 'Lock & Key'). Manche Parts lassen einen fast unverschämten Pop-Appeal in den Rock'n'Roll tropfen und begeben sich auf Ausschweifungen in die psychedelisch poppige Ecke ('Woe Be Father's Troubled Mind'). Ein Stück, in dem die Musik mit einer überlebensgroßen Attitüde flirtet, was die Gitarrensoli vor dem beschwörenden Part schön ins Rampenlicht setzt. Danach die klassische Mitklatsch-Nummer, ab da mutiert die Platte langsam zum Überflieger ('Betrothed To The Serpent'). Am Ende strecken sich Musik und Songwriting und wachsen aus dem bisherigen, schon vielschichtigen Können der Band nochmals hinaus. Da trifft der Pop-Appeal auf gefühlvollen Blues-Sound und wird zu wuchtigem Siebziger-Rock. Das funktioniert bestens. Nicht zuletzt, weil die Instrumentalfraktion auf dem Album fast blind miteinander zu harmonieren scheint und Screaming Loz Sutch die Kunst vollbringt, die nötige Theatralik, das gewisse Quäntchen an Exzess und die genau dosierte Übertreibung in ihr Organ zu legen. Der Titeltrack legt davon erstaunliches Zeugnis ab! It ain't a long way to the top … anymore."

From the Dolls-meets-the-devil opening title track to the desperate Sister Lovers-adjacent finale "The Findings," The Interrogator is thirteen vibrant, crackling, scary and hilarious songs which taken together represent nothing less than a thorough and thrilling moral inventory of our decadent and depraved times. Following up and doubling down on the themes of last year's lionized cult favorite For Executive Meeting, Elizabeth Nelson has authored an album as politically potent and pointedly hilarious as antecedents like The Mekons' Rock 'n' Roll and Neil Young's on On the Beach and wed it to the sound of ZZ Top's Eliminator. As writers like Rob Sheffield and Robert Christgau have known for years Elizbeth Nelson has been one of our very best songwriters for going on a decade. On the charged anthem "Bad Day for the Group Chat" she reassesses the current state of affairs: "I have bested all my peers." “Elizabeth Nelson showcases the simultaneously fraught and giddy frequency of our weird, wired world. The Paranoid Style may be the bearer of bad news, but at least the band bears it smashingly.” NPR // “You’ll forgive them for being critic’s darlings because they’re also the goddamn life of the party.” SPIN // Features performances by Peter Holsapple of The dB’s, Continental Drifters & REM through out. Elizabeth Nelson writes for the Oxford American, N.Y. Times, Pitchfork, The Ringer and more. She has over 15,000 followers on Twitter. A

From the Dolls-meets-the-devil opening title track to the desperate Sister Lovers-adjacent finale "The Findings," The Interrogator is thirteen vibrant, crackling, scary and hilarious songs which taken together represent nothing less than a thorough and thrilling moral inventory of our decadent and depraved times. Following up and doubling down on the themes of last year's lionized cult favorite For Executive Meeting, Elizabeth Nelson has authored an album as politically potent and pointedly hilarious as antecedents like The Mekons' Rock `n' Roll and Neil Young's On the Beach and wed it to the sound of ZZ Top's Eliminator. As writers like Rob Sheffield and Robert Christgau have known for years, Elizabeth Nelson has been one of our very best songwriters for going on a decade. On the charged anthem "Bad Day for the Group Chat" she reassesses the current state of affairs: "I have bested all my peers.

Das Debütalbum von Geelong's starken Trio aus erfahrenen Punk/Alternative/Noise-Rockern feat. 'Lightning' Ben Watkins (ex- Warped), Buzz Munday (ex- Bored!) und Adam Doherty (ex- Spaghetti Westerns). GRYTT mischen OZ-Hardrock mit Proto-Punk-Attitüde und noisy Alternative. Das selbstbetitelte Debütalbum von GRYTT klingt, als hätte Lemmy die Amme für das Kind von Husker Du und Wipers gespielt. Buzz' unglaubliches und unnachgiebiges Schlagzeugspiel bietet eine klapprige Kulisse aus "Friedhofsschicht in der Gießerei"-ähnlichem Gepolter als Vehikel für Ben und Ads' solipsistisches und a-rhythmisches Gitarren- und Bassgefuchtel und eine kollektive, temperamentvolle Reihe fataler lyrischer Erklärungen, die mit einer solchen Intensität deklamiert werden, dass sie geradezu lebensverbessernd klingen; Ihr dreckiges, maritimes Stolzieren ist eine eingängige, von Verzerrungen getriebene melodische Schwere, d.h. diese Australier beweisen ein für alle Mal, dass ihr Sinn für Dynamik sowohl intensiver als auch immenser ist als der der anderen Kinder im Block! Inspiriert von Husker Du, Black Sabbath, Wipers und ZZ Top (neben vielen anderen), verbindet die aus Geelong stammende Rockband GRYTT die Sounds des harten Aussie-Rocks mit einer lärmenden Proto-Punk-Attitüde. Die Band wurde 2022 gegründet und besteht aus Sänger/Gitarrist "Lightning" Ben Watkins (Ex-Warped), Schlagzeuger Buzz Munday (Ex-Bored!) und Bassist Adam Doherty (Ex-Spaghetti Westerns). Obwohl sie angeblich Teil einer Szene sind, die Aggression und Lärm ebenso schätzt wie Hooks und Melodien, zeigen GRYTT eine auffällige Pop-Sensibilität. Der Gesang ist üppig geschichtet und doch knurrig, und die Texte schaffen es, eine Schönheit in den Banalitäten des Vorstadtmelodrams zu finden. Unterstrichen von schreienden Garagenrock-Gitarren und der kraftvollen Rhythmusgruppe der Gruppe, treiben GRYTT den Rock'n'Roll mit Vollgas voran. "Featuring members of international touring artists Bored! and Warped "Recorded, Mixed & Mastered at Goatsound, Melbourne Australia by Jason Fuller "Ltd 300 copies on white vinyl worldwide, artwork by the renowned Alex Hegyesi

American blues musician Buddy Guy is an exponent of Chicago blues and influenced many prominent guitarists, including Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Eric Clapton, and John Mayer. His 1998 album Heavy Love is one of his fine blues-rock records. Besides two songs of his own material, he covered classics including Willie Dixon “I Just Want to Make Love to You", Tony Joe White "Did Somebody Make a Fool Out of You", ZZ Top "I Need You Tonight". It is heavier compared to many of his other recordings, but he still finds his way back to the blues.

Heavy Love is available as a 25th anniversary edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on pink & purple marbled vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

„Selbst auf dieser Platte gibt es Momente, in denen es etwas psychedelischer zugeht, aber wir waren schon immer große Fans klassischer Rockmusik wie ZZ TOP, JAMES GANG, ALLMAN BROTHERS – und natürlich CREAM.“

New Shadows peaks into corners where interior and exterior worlds collide, where miniscule revelations can be found in the darkness of ourselves and our community: lost children, unheard prayers, bugs, money, depression, romantic relationships, regret, and Zoom funerals, all become a lens for self-reflection.

The production (by Don Cento and JDD) is modeled after DeCicca's favorite early 80's albums (Lindsey Buckingham's Law & Order, ZZ Top's Afterburner, Robert Palmer's Clues, Lou Reed's New Sensations,) while the songs' architectures and pathos lean more towards Warren Zevon, Townes Van Zandt, and John Prine - all these record- makers and songwriters are embedded in DeCicca's DNA, having seen them, and in some cases met them after gigs, when his brain was still developing between the ages of 13-19 years old.

The virtual collaborators are the musicians whose kept him company while isolated in his rural town, Bulverde, TX: Brian Harnetty's Many Hands, Rosali's No Medium, Irreversible Entanglements' Who Sent You?, James Brandon Lewis's Jessup Wagon, Jeff Parker's JP's Myspace Beats and Suite for Max Brown, and the Los Lobos discography.

New Shadows isn't so much about DeCicca's new discoveries, as it is the penumbrous reminder of what's always been there.

For this album Ghetto Kumbé has enlisted an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they’ve put together a fresh version of their debut album that’s been specifically geared to the world’s diverse slate of dancefloors, whether at home or in the club, this double 12” 45 RPM is the perfect format to experience this music. There's no denying the power of the drum. It's primal, it cuts across borders and most importantly, it makes you want to move. Ghetto Kumbé don't just understand that they celebrate it, and it's why the tambor was at the heart of the Bogotá-based trio's 2020 self-titled debut album. Rooted in mysticism and the Afro-Caribbean rhythms they'd grown up with all their lives, the critically acclaimed LP thrillingly updated the traditional Latin template, folding in elements of modern hip-hop, house and bass music while also delivering a transportive Afro-futurist vision. On Clubbing Remixes, that vision has been further amplified, as Ghetto Kumbé who were already one of Colombia's most prominent alternative acts have now gone fully global; enlisting an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they've put together a fresh version of their debut album that's been specifically geared to the world's diverse slate of dancefloors. As the title implies, the new LP is meant for the club, which is why Ghetto Kumbé have turned to Latin music heavyweights like Trooka a multiple Grammy winner whose resume includes work with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Residente and Monte (a.k.a. Bomba Estéreo founder Simón Mejía), along with top-shelf DJs like Nickodemus and Uproot Andy, two NYC artists who've spent decades championing Afro-Latin rhythms. True to the LP's global spirit, the record also includes reworks from batida maestro DJ Firmeza, fellow Afro-Portuguese outfit Studio Bros and Parisian house groovers Les Enfants Sauvages, plus genre-blurring remixes from sonically adventurous Colombians Montoya (himself another ZZK artist) and Cero39. Even the artwork on Clubbing Remixes is a remix, as Ghetto Kumbé have tapped Uganda's Denzel Muhumuza to transform the cover of their debut album into a new, explicitly Afro-futuristic illustration. Depicting a strong Black face and glowing neon fauna beneath a sparkling moonlit sky, the fantastical image speaks to both the ritual magic and Afro-indebted heritage of Ghetto Kumbé's music, and thanks to Clubbing Remixes, the group's passionate, drum-fueled sounds will soon be blasting out of soundsystems around the globe.a

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Rhymesayers created this limited edition 3xLP vinyl package that includes a gatefold jacket with revised art layouts, printed sleeves, a 4-panel insert with full album lyrics, two cream & black marble-colored vinyl, and a UV printed ultra-clear bonus disc vinyl with four exclusive bonus tracks! Whether you're a vinyl enthusiast or simply appreciate great lyricism, this album is a must for any collection. Initially released in 2012, Aesop Rock's sixth studio album Skelethon marked a significant moment in the rapper's career. It had been 5 years since his previous effort None Shall Pass was released, and his former label had since been shuttered. As a result, Skelethon became his first solo release on Rhymesayers Entertainment. Coincidentally, it was also his first album that was entirely self produced. The album's title, a portmanteau of "skeleton" and "telethon," was a metaphor for what felt like a long period of many adversities for Aesop. Throughout the album's 15 tracks, he meticulously exhumes and examines these many skeletons in detail, exploring everything from death to distrust, insecurity and isolation, with moments of humor and hope scattered throughout as well. Some of the many standout tracks from the release include "Zero Dark Thirty," a rapid-fire exploration of displeasure over dizzying drums, "ZZZ Top," an impressive ode to youthful expression, and "Cycles to Gehenna," with its haunting production and imaginative musings. Upon release, Skelethon was praised for its intricate storytelling that expertly balanced abstract imagery with concrete details, and its immersive production incorporating sample-based beats with dusty pianos, distorted guitars, and psychedelic synths. To this day, the album remains a fan favorite and a critical darling, praised for its poignant introspection and razor-sharp wordplay.

***BACK IN PRINT ON TRANSLUCENT GREEN VINYL!!! Originally released as a 10-inch in 1991, Eggnog is a wild ride into the outer limits of Melvins-dom. The first side cuts loose with three quick blasts. “Wispy” has the Lorax (Lori Temple Black) on bass and Dale Crover on drums, pounding one note in unison while Buzz Osborne bellows and whispers and turns his guitar on and off. “Antitoxidote” is a rabid horse galloping off into the desert, with yet more stops and starts and feedback detonations. “Hog Leg” sounds like a syphillitic Jimmy Swaggert trying to mimic Dio while being backed by a drunken ZZ Top cover band. Side Two features the side-long epic “Charmicarmicat,” with seasick waves of guitar and slow-motion madness bringing communicable disease and poisonous jellyfish ashore, stinging and infecting the unsuspecting sunbathers before gently washing out to sea again.