Over the past 20 years, The New Pornographers have proven themselves one of the most excellent bands in indie rock. They've constantly offered new sonic surprises with every album, and Continue as a Guest is their greatest leap to date. The group's ninth album and first for Merge establishes them alongside modern luminaries like Yo La Tengo and Superchunk when it comes to their ability to evolve while still retaining what made them so special in the first place. A dazzling and intriguing collection of songs that are truly built to last, Continue as a Guest finds bandleader A.C. Newman and his compatriots Neko Case, Kathryn Calder, John Collins, Todd Fancey, and Joe Seiders exploring fresh territory and shattering the barriers of their collective comfort zone.

Recorded at the band's show at the world-famous Wembley Stadium on 6th July 2019, The Who performed many of their greatest hits as well as songs from their acclaimed recent studio album with the help of the Isobel Griffiths Ltd Orchestra, which gave a new perspective to some of their best-loved material.

This release is available as a 2-CD + Blu-Ray containing an Atmos mix of the entire album and a 3-LP black vinyl edition. Both are housed in a trifold sleeve with an extensive booklet containing multiple photos from rehearsals, backstage, and the show.

The Love Still Held Me Near was born out of unimaginable loss and the subsequent journey through the grief and heartache that followed. It’s about digging deep down into yourself and attempting to unearth hope and light in the things that can comfort you through those times. For me that has always been writing and recording music, so that’s exactly what I did. - Dallas Green / City and Colour

Formed in 1987 in Umeå, Sweden, Meshuggah have gone on to be called “one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands” by Rolling Stone and have earned the respect and admiration from fans and musicians alike. 

It is impossible to talk about experimental or avantgarde metal without mentioning this truly groundbreaking act: MESHUGGAH mix ultra-complicated rhythmic patterns with massive riffs and aggressive growls, combining Death Metal, Mathcore, Thrash and Progressive Metal to create their unique style.

The year 2023 now marks the 15th anniversary of the band’s milestone: "ObZen".

Yet another masterpiece of diversity and surprises as a whole, the album contains the band’s absolute massive hit, “Bleed” – the song that tore through the industry like a shockwave and had fans and musician peers alike completely speechless. You could say that "ObZen" is some sort of a best of album of the band’s early works combined with fresh, new songs at that moment in time – but that´s only half the truth. Compared  to some of the gloomy lava realm of subconcious terror of previous releases, "ObZen" is a big butt kick. Some parts are still slo-mo groove infernos, but others, like the opener "Combustion", are high speed-massacres like the band never did before. Pure technical ass-kicking mayhem!

The re-release of this masterpiece comes in a beautifully enhanced digipak and stunning new vinyl colors, to complete every collector’s dream.

 

Limited colored vinyl LP pressing. 2023 release. The album sees Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson joined once again by long term partners Tony Quigley and Matt Steel, along with the introduction of their new collaborator and touring companion Ellen Beth Abdi. The record embraces elements of afrobeats, funk and techno, and lends it's name to a significant year for the band, 1982; the year they released Sextet and I'd Like To See You Again on Factory Records. In true ACR style, the album is filled with collaboration, launching with the second track on the album, "Waiting on a Train," which features fellow Manchester artist Chunky of the MC super-collective LEVELZ. A Certain Ratio was one of the first groups to sign to the legendary Factory Records in Manchester. Whilst many people credit New Order and The Happy Mondays as the groups who brought dance music into the sound of Manchester, it is in fact A Certain Ratio who were there in the beginning.

This historic 1980 Munich concert has the distinction of being the first-ever live, direct-to-digital stereo recording of Zappa. The show was the last of the spring/summer tour with the group playing at peak performance. The entire show is featured on three 180-gram LPs and mastered by Bernie Grundman in 2022. The package features photography and memoir from George Alper (who worked for Frank Zappa), along with liner notes from Arthur Barrow and `Vaultmeister' Joe Travers.

Also Available: Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich [3CD], Zappa ’80: Mudd Club [2LP]

During the 1980 spring/summer tour, Frank Zappa played a set at his favorite NYC nightclub - the famous Mudd Club. Zappa adored the place and ever wrote a song dedicated to it. The complete performance is included on two 45rpm 180-gram vinyl LPs and mastered by Bernie Grundman in 2022. The package features photography and memoir from George Alper (who worked for Frank Zappa and was at the event), along with liner notes from Arthur Barrow, Steve Vai and `Vaultmeister' Joe Travers.

Also Available: Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich [3CD], Zappa ’80: Mudd Club [2LP]

Did you know that miracles happen every day? We don’t alwayssee it that way. We look at the state of the world and think, “It’ll be a miracle if we make it out alive.” But miracles are what humans do. We’re Earth’s most inventive and unpredictablespecies, when we’re allowed to be. Also the most destructive. Miracle-Level is Deerhoof’s mystical manifesto on creativity andtrust. It celebrates the infinite small wonders of existence that spontaneously present themselves, when not obstructed by our death-driven masters.

Musically, Miracle-Level is vulnerable, brave, and brimming with spicy surprises. Deerhoof’s 19th album is also their their first tobe recorded and mixed in a recording studio. Production was entrusted to Mike Bridavsky, at No Fun Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is also their first album written entirely in Satomi’s native language. Deerhoof once again speak in asecret code that only their fans understand, in which hooksabound, and genre is nonexistent. 

Digipak with 12pg booklet. Accomplished singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon continues his solo work for his project Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness with the introspective album 'Tilt At The Wind No More', teaming up with trusted collaborators and producers Tommy English (K. Flay, X Ambassadors) & Jeremy Hatcher (Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes) on the album. The 11-song record represents a reflection of everything Andrew has learned during his music career and throughout his life so far. Though it is steeped in nostalgia and optimism for the future, above all else, Andrew wanted to make 'Tilt At The Wind No More' sound "transportive. " "I wanted people to be able to put on their headphones and hear a universe in these songs," he says. "I think we pushed hard to make this music really adventurous. We took the singer-songwriter medium and said, 'Let's dig deep and make it sound really fun and out there and wrap people up in these arrangements. It's one of the things I'm most proud of: the way it sounds. " On "Last Rites," which conjures Cure-like drum beats, Andrew pens an ode to his wife and considers how love songs evolve with long-term relationships. "These last few pandemic years, I think people's bonds have either deepened or fractured. 'Last Rites' is reflective of a connection that goes so much deeper than even I can put into words. "

Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachet underground legends are made of. After his first group KMD’s sophomore album Black Bastards was shelved by Elektra in 1994, and his blood brother Subroc — one half of the sibling rap duo — passed away, surviving frontman Zev Love X slowly mutated into the supervillain MC known as MF DOOM, and the rap world is better for it. 

The 1999 release of Operation: Doomsday marked MF DOOM’s official debut, reintroducing a mysterious figure who would soon become one of underground rap’s greatest voices. Within its 19 tracks, Operation: Doomsday reveals the confluence of DOOM’s tragic past, personal interests and daring creativity. His clever rhymes and remarkable schemes stood out against the landscape, and every sound he touched — from cartoon theme songs, to ‘80s soul, to rap classics and more — got reinterpreted into something brand new and surreal. 

Decades later, MF DOOM is still celebrated for all facets of his work and influence. In the face of tragedy, DOOM re-infiltrated the rap game on his own terms, and crafted an instant cult classic. Operation: Doomsday stands as a testament to the power of betting on yourself against all odds. 

Vinyl LP pressing. 2023 release, the eighth studio album from the British rockers. Musically, the album is the sound of a band celebrating the scene that they helped to build while at the same time showing where it can go next. Lyrically, the album is a raw and honest depiction of trying to find the good moments within the bad exploring themes of growing up, relationships, overcoming insecurities, and realizing self-worth.

Limited edition YELLOW/BLACK SPLATTER vinyl pressing from platinum selling alt-rockers Everclear! The band revisit their old stomping grounds recording fresh versions of the smash hit singles "Santa Monica," "Wonderful" and "Father Of Mine!" Also includes superb cover versions of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down," The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker," The Police's "Every Breath You Take" and a whole lot more!

Scott McMicken has always thrived on switching things up. As a founding member of Philadelphia rock mainstays Dr. Dog, McMicken and his bandmates consistently explored new sounds and new ways of writing songs across 10 gleefully eclectic albums before their 2021 hiatus. While McMicken has quietly released solo projects via cassette and vinyl on his own label Press On Records, for his latest effort, he’s done something he’s only done once before: started a band. With Shabang, out March 31, 2023, via ANTI-, comes the debut album from Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDING, and he’s made some of his freest and most adventurous music yet: a wonderfully collabora- tive collection of songs that feel lived in and true. By being present and living with these musicians (quite literally: McMicken and collaborator Michael Nau stayed in tents outside the studio) united under one com- mon goal, Shabang is full of life and endlessly candid. “I knew nothing good will come of this unless I am totally free and away from any pres- sure and pretense,” says McMicken. “Such an incredible spectrum of emotion passed through me while making this album. There was this lightness and un-self seriousness. I feel like music and life cruises at that spot: everybody was so wholeheartedly invested and open.”

The 1966 album represented a milestone for The Rolling Stones as it was the first to consist solely of Jagger/Richards original songs. The U.S. version was fleshed out with hit single classics like “Paint It Black,” an eerily insistent #1 hit graced by some of the best-ever use of sitar (played by Brian Jones).  Aftermath also strongly features the baroque charm of “Lady Jane.” 180-gram LP.

The #1 Debut Album on black vinyl. Featuring the hits “Baby One More Time” “Sometimes” and “(You Drive Me) Crazy”

In 2015 two kids from Reno, Nevada managed to capture the lo-fi supercharged lighting-in-a-bottle that would later propel them to major label success. Buds is a wild ride through the young minds of bandmembers Nick Rattigan and Jacob Rubeck, serving as a white-hot debut album in their ever-ascending discography. Although dealing largely with melancholy themes of isolation, the energy on every track is palpable.

“Different Game”, is the long-awaited follow-up to their critically-acclaimed 2015 release “Still Got That Hunger”, which charted in Billboard’s Top 100 and SoundScanned over 12k units in America alone. 

The band began working on this album in 2019, shortly after their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, but it was delayed by the Pandemic - they strongly prefer to record together and capture a live band performance in the studio (just as they had to do in the 1960’s).  They were not willing to make this album remotely.  

This album is the current-day Zombies were meant to make.  It has the vintage qualities that made them stand out in the 1960’s, yet still sounds modern, and reflects their continued development as songwriters and musicians.  9 of the 10 tracks are written by Rod Argent, with the closer “The Sun Will Rise Again” by Colin Blunstone.  Rod produced the album (with engineer Dale Hanson), which includes a small string ensemble on 3 tracks.  Rod arranged the strings for 2 of the songs (“Different Game” and “You Could Be My Love”), with the 3rd (“I Want To Fly”) by Chris Gunning (who scored the legendary string arrangements for Colin’s 1971 debut solo album “One Year”).

In a time when the popular choice is to chase the double yellow line down the road to country radio, Boy Named Banjo thrives on its fringes. The Nashville-raised five-piece is a fusion of contemporary country, Americana and folk-rock stacked on a foundation of bluegrass. The band, which has been together in some iteration since members were in high school, includes Barton Davies (banjo), Ford Garrard (bass/standing bass), Sam McCullough (drums) Willard Logan (mandolin, acoustic/electric guitar) and William Reames (acoustic guitar/harmonica). Reames and Logan played in a middle school garage rock band together, but it wasn't until Reames met Davies in high school that Boy Named Banjo started taking shape. Garrard and McCullough joined later and together the five guys comprise the band Boy Named Banjo that we know today. Boy Named Banjo has crafted a sound that incorporates an energetic blend of country, bluegrass, alt-rock, and folk-pop telling their stories through an honest, emotional, roots-driven perspective. In April 2020, Boy Named Banjo signed a record deal with Mercury Records Nashville and released their debut EP, Circles, the following year. Boy Named Banjo spent 2022 on the road playing some of country music’s largest festivals including Dierks Bentley’s Seven Peaks and Country Jam, Kip Moore’s Fire on Wheels Tour, they made their CMA Fest debut playing at the Ascend Amphitheatre Nighttime Concert, and played a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. The band most recently released the tracks “Heart In Motion” and “Heart Attack,” and is currently prepping its next project to be released in spring of this year.

Archetypes Collide delivers massive hooks, soaked in atmosphere, with creative energy and catchiness in their DEBUT Self Titled LP on Fearless Records. Unapologetic choruses and bang-your-head riffs collide. “My Own Device,” “What If I Fall,” and “Parasite,” combine loud bombast with intimate pop. Archetypes Collide demands repeated listening, mixing everything from Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon to The Chainsmokers, and Stranger Things-style retro synths, into a unique musical identity.

Vinyl LP pressing. In 2023, rising modern symphonic metal outfit AD Infinitum reenter the scene with their electrifying third studio album, Chapter III - Downfall. AD Infinitum's signature sound - consisting of punching, modern, even progressive riffs, addictive symphonic nuances, hooky choruses and Melissa Bonny's inimitably versatile vocal skills - has positioned them for unstoppable ascension in the metal world, and is now perfected with ease on Chapter III - Downfall. This next offering provides another wave of proof of the band's breakout success, which the energizing four-piece - consisting of Melissa Bonny (vocals), Adrian Thessenvitz (guitars), Korbinian Benedict (bass) and Niklas Müller (drums) - garnered almost immediately, with millions of video views and streams worldwide since the release of their debut in 2020. Chapter III - Downfall bewitches with an innovative sound full of soaring melodic splendor, juxtaposed against brooding, dark, even gothic heaviness. Exploring concepts of Ancient Egyptian history and mythology, AD Infinitum melds a perfect balance of storytelling and technically sophisticated songwriting, spreading their wings in both areas of production and lyricism.