New Release Round-Up 11-16-18

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Merrie Land - Studio 13
This week sees the release of Merrie Land, the second album from The Good, The Bad & The Queen, a band comprising of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Tony Allen and Simon Tong. The album sees the band’s focus move beyond London with a beautiful and hopeful paean to the Britain of today - an inclusive Britain - and the possibilities of the future. In the band’s own words, Merrie Land is a ten song lament of Anglo-Saxosentialism marking the reluctant end of a relationship, and about picking up the pieces and seeing what can be salvaged. The band set a beautifully muted palette and lustrous finish to bring out a mood that is bruised yet unapologetically defiant and optimistic, and carries the underlying message: we will survive. In times of metaphysical trauma, the people need to forge ahead and wear armour. Here it is, set to the mood music of a nation about to be broken yet undefeated.

Mumford & Sons - Delta - Glassnote
Mumford & Sons emphatic return is spearheaded with the inspiring new single, "Guiding Light".  Their fourth album, Delta, was produced by Paul Epworth.

Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / No Past. No Future. No Sun. - Napalm
In June of 2018, The Smashing Pumpkins released their new single “Solara” ahead of their monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour. The track was the first song in over 18 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin, alongside longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder and offered the first glimpse of music from the newly reformed lineup. In September of 2018, the band formally announced their forthcoming 10th studio album Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / No Past. No Future. No Sun. and shared its second single “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)”. Recorded at Shangri La Studios with legendary producer Rick Rubin, LP is out this week via Martha’s Music under license to Napalm Records. With over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains one of the most influential bands in history.

Chris Cornell - Chris Cornell - UME
First ever complete retrospective of Chris Cornell’s career covering Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave and his solo works. The centerpiece to the collection is the newly discovered, unreleased track “When Bad Does Good” found in Chris’ personal audio archive which was performed, recorded and mixed by Chris himself.  Creative Director for the project is Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog) who oversaw the project design including the 32-page booklet with unreleased photos. Liner note contributions by Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Tom Morello, Mike McCready and Brendan O’Brien.  A limited edition, custom die-cut o-card features Seattle’s tree-line graphics on the front and other various cities Chris lived in throughout his life on the back.  Additional highlights of tracks include the unreleased performance from SiriusXM of the Prince classic “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” and the theme song to the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale “You Know My Name.”

  

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Anderson .Paak - Oxnard - 12 Tone Music
Anderson .Paak's new album, Oxnard, is a nod to the Southern California city where Anderson grew up. It is the Grammy-nominated artist’s 3rd studio album and the first to be released on Dr. Dre’s label Aftermath Entertainment. Oxnard will include his latest single, “Tints” featuring Kendrick Lamar along with album features from J. Cole, Pusha T and many more. Earlier this year, Anderson .Paak shared with Rolling Stone that "… this is the album [he] dreamed of making in high school, when [he] was listening to [Jay-Z]'s The Blueprint, The Game's The Documentary, and [Kanye West's] The College Dropout."

Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Betty's Midwestern Magick Blends - Silver Arrow Records
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is indisputably one of the hardest working bands in rock ’n’ roll. 2018 marks the fourth year in a row that they’ll play over 200 shows across the U.S. and Europe. Through that prolific touring schedule, the band has emerged a razor sharp, riveting live unit. Each evening The CRB plays two sets of music with a dynamic, ever-changing setlist. Presenting original material stretching across six studio albums, plus a repertoire of covers that runs from Slim Harpo to Bob Dylan and beyond, it’s only fitting that the band would document this output. They’ve done exactly that through a series of live recordings dubbed, ‘Betty’s Blends’—taking its moniker from legendary Grateful Dead archivist and recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson who is called upon to capture The CRB’s performances in multi-dimensional, audio-verite. ‘Betty's Midwestern Magick Blends’ is the fourth volume from the acclaimed series, gathering highlights from three shows in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago in October 2016. Available as a vinyl exclusive, 3-LP set with only 3500 copies released, the collection finds The CRB in peak form delivering highlights like “New Cannonball Rag,” “Forever As The Moon” and “Shadow Cosmos,” as well as adapting two from The Rolling Stones: “Down Home Girl” and “Let It Bleed” and the seldom played fan favorite, Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride.” If the past is any indication, this will sell out fast, while quickly becoming much sought-after, so fans are advised to grab one quick. 

Brian Newman - Showboat - Verve
Brian Newman, trumpeter, crooner and long-time bandleader for superstar Lady Gaga, has signed to Verve Records and will be releasing his debut solo album, Showboat, this week. A true talent on trumpet, this release incorporates creative takes on rock classics as well as jazz standards. Brian has toured with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga and has collaborated with Jose Feliciano and Dierks Bentley. He's performed on Boardwalk Empire, NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center, MTV's Video Music Awards, The Tonight Show, Watch What Happens Live, Marc Jacobs fashion shows and in a national H&M commercial.

 

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Glen Campbell - Glen Sings For The King - Capitol
The lost album from Glen Campbell, Glen Sings For The King contains eighteen recently unearthed and restored studio recordings from 1965-1967 that casts new light on the influence that Campbell had on America’s greatest rock and roll star, Elvis Presley. Before his breakthrough single “Gentle On My Mind” Campbell was recording songs for legendary songwriter Ben Weisman, who wrote an unmatched 57 songs recorded by Elvis Presley. Campbell had an uncanny knack to sings in Elvis’s key and thirteen of these tracks went on to be recorded and released by Presley. The collection highlights Campbell’s incredible musicianship and contains “We Call on Him” a previously unreleased duet fused from the voices of Presley and Campbell.

 

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Rush - Hemispheres: 40th Anniversary - Mercury
Hemispheres: 40th Anniversary features the 2015 album remaster along with previously unreleased and newly restored bonus content consisting of the Rush’s 1979 Pinkpop festival performance. The album is available on 2CD, 3LP and as a Super Deluxe Box Set which Includes 3, 180g LPs mirroring the 2 CDs. The Blu-Ray disc features the album newly mixed from the original multi-tracks in 5.1 surround sound along with 4 bonus videos. Also includes a 40-page hard cover book with unreleased photos and new artwork by Hugh Syme, an extensive essay by Rob Bowman, a 1979 tour replica program, a wall poster, a Pinkpop Festival replica ticket and VIP pass, and a replica 1978 “Rush” Hemispheres iron-on patch.

 

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For more information on these and other releases out this week, check out our New Releases charts by week section.

WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED TEST PRESSING FROM JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit's latest album Live From the Ryman was primarily recorded during the group's six sold out nights at Nashville's legendary Ryman Auditorium in 2017. The album features 13 live versions of songs from their last three critically acclaimed, award-winning studio albums - Southeasten (2013), Something More Than Free (2015), The Nashville Sound (2017).

Live From The Ryman is available now on CD, LP and Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Transparent Green LP.

Plus, right now, if you visit recordstoreday.com you can enter to win an autographed test pressing which was signed just before they went on stage for another multi-night stand at the "Mother Church".