NEW RELEASES 2015 WEEK # 27 JULY 10, 2015

JULY 10, 2015 (WEEK # 27)

1.    THE ACT-“LOVE AND HATE” [2-CD THE BEST OF ACT ON 2 CD’S] (7/10) 

2.    SARAH CRACKNELL-“RED KITE” (7/7) (File : SAINT ETIENNE. New 2015 solo album from their frontwoman ... her first in 18 years! Cameo by Nicky Wire from Manic Street Preachers. ) 

3.    ENVY-“ATHEIST’S CORNEA” (7/10) (Despite its relative brevity (at 43 minuntes it is Envy's shortest album since their early 90s thrash days), Atheist's Cornea is easily the band's most progressive work. Beginning with a punishing pummel, holes of light are gradually punched open to reveal an uncanny series of dynamic, emotionally charged epics. Not only does Atheistʼs Cornea showcase some wholly unexpected new turns for Envy, it also often reaches transcendent heights that could overwhelm a major blockbuster film — all while vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa sings, screams, and speaks like his life depended on it. Atheist's Cornea is the purest, most distilled example of Envy's brand of brilliance. It is also their bravest album, taking new risks with a much welcomed, broader vocal palette and an instrumental experimentation that navigates blistering shifts from impenetrable noise to poetic, pin-drop introspection with astounding grace. Envy have finally mastered the art of being effective and efficient without sacrificing an ounce of either – a truly inspired evolution from a band whose mastery of both remains unparalleled.)

4.    ESE-“ALL IN” (7/10) (“Ese hails from Houston, Texas. They are a rough-and-tumble outfit from the streets. When they hit the stage, everyone can tell they mean business. That's exactly what Sudden Death's Joey Shithead saw when Ese opened for D.O.A. a few years back. He exclaimed, "Wow, Ese is like the Tex-Mex Motoerhead--they blew the doors off of that joint." About a year later, Shithead saw Ese again in Texas. The band stomped their proverbial stomping grounds in such a menacing way, he happily agreed to sign them to Sudden Death. The end result is Ese's new album All In. It's a wild and unbridled marriage of rock 'n' roll and punk that has not been seen for some time.From the kicking opening track "Badass Fatass" to "Ghetto Ese Style," these boys mash power riffs nonstop into your cranium. You'll be screaming for more, and that's what you get as they blaze through "Pissed Off," "Texas Guns" and the saucy "Guacamole (Texas Tornados)." Ese will kick your ass with All In, one of the rawest and best rock 'n' roll albums of 2015.” MIDHEAVEN MAILORDER)

5.    FOUR TET-“MORNING / EVENING” (7/10) 

6.    LITTLE BOOTS-“WORKING GIRL” (7/10) (Dance-pop sensation Little Boots delights with her third LP, Working Girl, produced by Jas Shaw of Simian Mobile Disco, super producer Ariel Rechtshaid, SZA collaborator Patrick Lukens, MNDR's Pete Wade, and Com Truise. Filled with her signature airy vocals, uplifting melodies and clean interplay between synths and beats, the 13 song LP pulls at the parameters of pop but remains true to its indie dance core.)

7.    LUCY ROSE-“WORK IT OUT” [DELUXE EDITION] (7/10) 

8.    SLOW CLUB-“I SWAM OUT TO GREET YOU” (7/10) 

9.    SUPERCHUNK-“COME PICK ME UP” (7/10) 

10. TREMBLING BELLS-“THE SOVEREIGN SELF” (7/10)

11. VERUCA SALT-“GHOST NOTES” (7/10) (Ghost Notes is the first new album from Veruca Salt featuring all original members (Nina Gordon-Vocals & Guitar, Louise Post-Vocals & Guitar, Steve Lack-Bass, Jim Shapiro-Drums) since 1997's certified gold album, Eight Arms To Hold You. Formed in Chicago, IL in 1993, Veruca Salt took the indie-rock world by storm with their first single 'Seether' from their debut album, American Thighs. For their first record in almost two decades Ghost Notes, the band enlisted producer Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins/Sunny Day Real Estate/Liz Phair) who also produced their debut release.)

12. WAVVES & CLOUD NOTHINGS-“NO LIFE FOR ME” (7/10) (The highly anticipated collaborative album between Nathan Williams of Wavves and Dylan Baldi of Cloud Nothings via Williams' own imprint, Ghost Ramp. The album was recorded at Williams' home during two sessions between March 16th-March 26th 2015 and June 1st-June 10th 2014 with production from Sweet Valley.)

13. WHITE POPPY-“NATURAL PHENOMENA” (7/10) (Crystal Dorval from Vancouver, Canada, has been making healing, distorted rug-gaze music from a coastal mindset all her own since 2011. Natural Phenomena is her second album, and it echoes 2013's self-titled effort in its isolationist origins, as the record emerged slowly across a nine-month retreat alone on a farm on Vancouver Island: "Some days I would only add one tiny guitar line or keyboard texture and that would be it for the day... it was a long process." However grueling and gradual the method, what accrued is gold--ten of Dorval's deepest dreamdives, starry ambient pools and dissolved guitar designs, ghosted through a lens of grey-skied pop. Songs wax and wane across faded rainbows of guitar, sunrise keyboards, looped percussion and vocal ocean-spray. Behind Dorval's gauze of warm noise glows something pure and newer than new age: "My hope is that these positive feelings will be communicated sonically, or in essence, and will be enriching for listeners." A high height for a climbing talent; White Poppy blooms on cliffs of light.)