LOOSE LIPS - 'LAST LAUGH'

Formats

• DIG024 - LP

  657628454922

Details

True enough, “loose lips sink ships” but depending on what’s being said, those same lips have the uncanny fast’n’loose power to SHAKE HIPS. Now just like all those sage philosopher kings and queens of yore would say, friends, it’s long time we: SPILL IT! Melbourne, Australia’s LOOSE LIPS couldn’t concur more on their debut album Last Laugh, proudly released by Dig! Records, and self-released by the band from their home base in Melbourne, Australia. The world may be ending, and you’re not getting any younger, but rock’n’roll rings eternal, so we’re letting it all hang out across 10 unadulterated tracks of spirited revelry, plenty: young, loud and snotty. But also skilled, melodic and heartfelt. If you haven’t yet heard the word, Loose Lips are Josh Hardy (guitar/ vocals; the Chats and the Unknowns), Ethan Stahl (bass/ vocals; Chubby and the Gang, The Prize, Street Sweeper) and Nadine Muller (drums/ vocals; the Prize). The sum of their top-shelf pedigree, Last Laugh, is a certified heater sure to rattle your jelly brain and jumpstart all your other fun parts. Forged from rock’n’roll incarnate, Josh and Nadine met on tour with their other bands, and bonded handedly over their love of 60s groups like the Ronettes, The Dave Clark 5 and the Shangri-Las, alongside their later counterparts: the New York Dolls, Eddie and the Hot Rods and Blondie. Last Laugh is a DIY love letter sealed with a kiss; made by friends, for friends—new, old and waiting in the wings.

Tracks

1. Too Late To Call 2. Careful What You Wish For 3. Don't Mess Me 'Round 4. Comin Home 5. Last Laugh 6. Good By Johnny 7. Nothing That I Want 8. Out of Time 9. Inside 10. Tonight We Go

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Audio & Video

BLUE LAKE - 'THE ANIMAL'

Formats

• TU014LP - LP

  4251804187039

Details

Blue Lake reveals his most ambitious album yet, which finds its visionary creator Jason Dungan harnessing the collective alchemy of his band, with ten spirited tracks that resonate with a powerful directness, evoking an ecological connection to the wider world. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Dungan then moved around for many years, living in both Europe and the USA, before finding a close connection to the Danish capital Copenhagen, where he now resides, a location heavily spotlighted in recent years as fertile creative ground for fellow experimental artists like Astrid Sonne, ML Buch and Clarissa Connelly. This well travelled upbringing would no doubt prove of spiritual significance on Dungan’s emergence as a singular artistic voice, traversing the planes of Ambient, Americana, with hues of Kosmische, uniquely infused with his own Nordic aesthetic. The solo project (Blue Lake), now on its fifth album, found its name and inspiration via Don Cherry’s 1974 live album, sparking a creative epiphany in Dungan, who set off on a path into his own untapped sonic world, guided by what he cited as the emotional potential found within non-lyrical composition. With a newly inspired ethos aimed toward creating direct and simple instrumental music imbued with a deep sense of feeling, Jason began combining an array of musical elements that gave rise to his highly revered album ‘Sun Arcs’ (2023), with its “ornate, zither-led lattices” (Pitchfork, Best New Music). Conceived in the blissful isolation of a Swedish cabin set in the woods, this was music that soundtracked spring in full bloom. Then, in contrast to the solitary approach of ‘Sun Arcs’, the highly lauded mini-album ‘Weft’ (2025) began to set the tone for a more band-oriented approach to delivering the Blue Lake sound. Jason had by this time experienced a special collective energy with his band during a swathe of live performances, which he then sought to harness and distill on ‘The Animal’, leading him to take the project into a traditional recording studio (The Village) and its limitless potential along with his gifted cohorts.

Tracks

1. Circles 2. Cut Paper 3. Berlin 4. Flowers for David 5. Seeds 6. Yarrow 7. Strand 8. The Animal 9. Vertical Hold 10. To Read

Press

"Magical in it's simplicity" Pitchfork

?Gentility and grace" NPR, All Songs Considered

"Irresistibly radiant" Uncut

"A shimmering, drifting quality, like dappled sun on water" The Quietus

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GRATEFUL DEAD / JOHN OSWALD - 'GRAYFOLDED'

Formats

• IMPREC399 - 3xLP

  793447539928

Details

This deluxe 2025 vinyl edition of The Grateful Dead's Grayfolded was pressed at Optimal in Germany, known for their high end audiophile pressings.In 1993 Canadian composer John Oswald was invited by Phil Lesh to transform historical recordings of the Dead into something new, along the lines of what they had attempted in their Anthem of the Sun album.Oswald chose to focus on the Dead’s Dark Star, which, over the courseof a quarter century, they had expanded and transformed in myriad waysin live performances. Oswald was given access to the Vaults, whereover the course of a month, with the guidance of the Dead's resident archivist Dick Latvala, he collected 105 performances, which throughthe following year he formed, folded, fondled, and finessed into a kaleidoscopic unstuck-in-time documentary of the Grateful Dead in someof their most psychedelic, symphonic, and rocking excursions— asingular 110-minute fantasy performance.Here it is, Deadheads, the ultimate Dark Star is now on vinyl. Deluxe audiophile pressing cut in Toronto under the watchful ears of John Oswald. Elaborately printed packaging in a heavy duty triple gatefold jacket includes liner notes by musicologist Rob Bowman featuring interviews with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Robert Hunter plus six"time maps" which chart the source concerts of Dark Star.Music performed by The Grateful Dead (c) Grateful Dead Productions Inc. & Ice Nine Publishing Inc. Taken from over 100 performances of Dark Star recorded between 1968 and 1993. Built, layered and "folded"to produce one large, new re-composed Dark Star.John Oswald is best known as the the creator of the music genre Plunderphonics, an appropriative form of recording studio creation which he began to develop in the late sixties. This has got him in trouble with, and also generated invitations from major record labels and musical icons. Meanwhile, in the í90ís he began, with several commissions from the Kronos Quartet, to compose scores for classical musicians and orchestras, the latest of which is an orchestral work,commissioned by the BBC, combining aspects of The Beatles, Gyˆrgy Ligeti, and Terry Riley. He also improvises on the saxophone in various settings, dances, and is a successful visual artist, best known for the chronophotic series Stillnessence

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JERRY GARCIA BAND - 'LIVE AT THE WARFIELD: FEB 28TH 1991'

Formats

• JGFRR1061 - 6xCDs

  880882663520

• JGFRR1062 - 4LP

  880882663711

Details

*UPD. RELEASE DATE* Live at The Warfield celebrates the Jerry Garcia Band's magical three-night run at their beloved Bay Area home on February 28th, March 1st, & March 2nd, 1991. This 6-CD collection, newly mastered from soundboard recordings, features every note from all six complete sets--along with a few the audience likely never heard. The band always seemed to be having fun on stage, and that energy is felt from the runs opening notes, with a particularly bubbly rendition of "The Way You Do the Things You Do" kicking things off. Highlights from February 28 include a primo "You Never Can Tell," a dynamite duo of "My Sisters and Brothers" and "Deal" to close the first set, and soulful takes on "Waiting for a Miracle," "Stop That Train," and "Midnight Moonlight." The fun continues on March 1 with a playful tune-up on Argent's "Hold Your Head Up," leading into a punchy "Cats Under the Stars" as the stage curtain rises. Cited by some as one of the decades best shows, the middle night is punctuated by powerful double doses of Van Morrison ("He Ain't Give You None" and "And It Stoned Me") and Bob Dylan ("Forever Young" and "Positively 4th Street"). But it's the boundless "Don't Let Go" that takes listeners on a veritable wild ride, stretching over 20 mesmerizing minutes. The run closes on March 2 with another strong show from start to finish, featuring a setlist that balances hard-hitting ballads with roof-raising rave-ups. Dylan remains well represented with a moving version of "I Shall Be Released," a dark and spooky "Señor," and a barn-burning "Tangled Up in Blue." With performances like these, it's easy to see how The Warfield cemented its place in the hearts and minds of Garcia and the greater Deadhead community.

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CAPTAIN POP - '688 COMEBACK SPECIAL'

Formats

• NXN038BX - CD & CASSETTE BOXSET

  0632556093368

• NXN038CD - CD

  0632556093443

Details

688 Comeback Special is the lost-and-found story of 90s song-writing duo Stephen Roberts (formerly of 16 Tambourines) and Brian Chin, Jamaican resident in sunny Brighton. Recorded straight to a Tascam 688 cassette multitrack during the post-Britpop wilderness years in Bootle, Liverpool, these songs have sat unheard for over 30 years. Recently restored from decaying tapes and lovingly mastered without overdubs or edits, 688 Comeback Special captures the raw honesty and off-the-cuff magic of two friends making music for the joy of it. Released on cassette, just as it began.

Tracks

1: I Feel Better Now 2: The Sunny One 3: I Just Can?t Get Enough Love 4: Strange Fascination 5: I Can?t Stand to See You Suffer 6: Tenderness 7: Senseless 8: The Return of the English Pop Group 9: If You go Away 10: Miracle

Press

RIYL: Psych Pop, 90s Indie, Northern Soul, 16 Tambourines, The Lotus Eaters, The Mighty Wah

Audio & Video

BACK TEETH - 'ULTIMATE WORRIER'

Formats

• LRR074 - LP

  5060462854400

Details

**VERY LIMITED EDITION TRANSPARENT ORANGE SWIRL VINYL** THE BAND Back Teeth are a melodic punk band from Birmingham, UK, formed when a group of fully grown adults refused to age gracefully and instead decided to start yelling about their feelings. They met at Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia, which tells you everything you need to know. THE RECORD Ultimate Worrier is their debut album: 10 tracks of existential dread, cheap drinks, regional ennui, and the creeping suspicion that everyone you know is quietly falling apart. It's part therapy, part shout-along catharsis and part accidental memoir. Expect gravelly vocals, melodic guitars, and choruses that make you feel something before you remember you’re too tired for that. The record features guest vocals from Neckscars, Tired Radio and Wood & Nails, adding a little class to the chaos. The artwork is by Jason Lubrano (Iron Chic), who kindly agreed to make the album look like it knows what it’s doing. FFO: British Punk Rock, 2000s No Idea Records & staying up too late at the weekends

Tracks

: 1. First We Crack the Shells 2. Time for the Forever Box 3. This Crowd Isn?t Getting Any Younger 4. Weight of Information 5. Legacy Bands of Provincial Towns 6. New Ghosts 7. Grief Histories 8. Means of Reduction 9. Dudes Trippin? 10. Ultimate Worrier

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Audio & Video

TAKAAT - 'IS NOISE VOL:1'

Formats

• PR11 - LP

Details

NEW TO FORTE !!!!! TAKAAT (pronounced tuh-cot), meaning “noise” in the Tuareg language Tamashek, is the trio of Ahmoudou Madassane, Mikey Coltun, and Souleymane Ibrahim, also known as the rhythm section of Mdou Moctar. TAKAAT is sonic chaos, improvisation, freedom of exploration, and the punk styles of bands such as Fugazi and Unwound, all mixed together with the guitar music from the Sahel. TAKAAT started during soundchecks while on the road with Mdou Moctar when the trio indulged their shared love for amps cranked to 11 and the sound of blown out speakers. Towards the end of 2023, the three started writing music together, inspired by their shared experiences with the sounds and energy of Hausa bar bands, gritty soukous, and 2000s post-punk. The music of TAKAAT is intense, dark, and energetic. Deeply inspired by the DIY ethos of punk, Ahmoudou, Mikey, and Souleymane capture that thrill of the new and the ecstasy of togetherness in these heavy rockers. TAKAAT follows in the spirit of the independent music culture that birthed hardcore basement shows, bedroom tape labels, and generator-powered pick-up wedding bands. Is Noise Vol. 1 (10”) EP was recorded on a cold winter day in Washington, D.C by engineer, bass player, and producer Mikey Coltun direct to ½” tape. The band set up, took a short tea break, and banged out the four tunes in one take. Very little editing was done. The record is as raw as the way the EP was recorded. All songs written by Alhassane Gajil and Ahmoudou Madassane except Ishumar written by Hasso Akotey. All songs arranged by TAKAAT. Tinariwen are the grandfathers of what we know today as Taureg guitar music. Started in refugee camps in Algeria and Libya in 1979, Tinariwen created a new sound of Taureg music that pushed the tradition into a new direction. Ahmoudou, Souleymane, and I all came to Tinariwen in different ways throughout our life and there is no doubt the importance the music has on all three of us. Just as much as Tinariwen pushed what Tuareg music is, that was the idea with TAKAAT is, to push the tradition even further, create something new, create something fresh that blends our love for bands like Tinariwen but also our love of heavier more chaotic bands. Is Noise Vol. 2 includes the TAKAAT versions of a couple of our favorite Tinariwen tunes. Unlike the original Tinariwen versions, these songs are unedited shredding jams recorded live to tape in Washington D.C. This is raw, this is noisy, this is TAKAAT. - Mikey Coltun 'Damn, that's very good.' - Ahmoudou Madassane

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ELI CARVAJAL - 'EYEN FOREVER'

Formats

• SSH059 - LP

  199538280234

Details

With his fifth album, Eyen Forever, London-based singer-songwriter Eli Carvajal completes a two-album chronicle of love, loss and rebirth from a time living in Japan. It is a deeply introspective work drawing on the classic singer-songwriter poetics of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell and the wide-eyed intimacy of Adrianne Lenker, Mount Eerie and Bill Callahan. With minimal embellishments, these contemplative songs focus on strummed guitar melodies and Carvajal’s warm blanket of a voice. Musically, the familiar fare has a strange twist coming from Carvajal's unorthodox playing style. He plays left-handed with an upside-down right-handed guitar, using exclusively open tunings. This creates a spacious sound, with drone notes continuously ringing around Carvajal’s lyrics. The songs don’t follow verse-chorus-verse song structures, instead unfolding organically along a unifying melody/harmony, unfurling laterally like any good journey. It has a defined destination but the route can throw in surprises. He refers to his writing style as ‘next-door to storytelling’. The storytelling on this collection begins with fourth album Eat Shiitake Now, which was created in real-time, chronological order during his first year living in Tokyo, Japan in the wake of the whirlwind marriage that brought him there (only to end nine months into his stay). Over this time, he taught English, singing and songwriting in different schools around the city, recording the album in his bedroom in Higashikitazawa, Tokyo, overlooking Mount Fuji. Released in 2024, that album captured the realness of every moment in stark detail. Eyen Forever acts as the reflective full-stop to this period of his life, telling stories from his final year in Japan: looking back at what was, dwelling on another short-lived relationship and drawing parallels to his twin’s battles with mental health and Carvajal’s own powerlessness to help. Back in the UK and closing the page on his twenties, this album is a love letter to his time in Japan, a farewell, filled with gratitude. While making contact with the profound, the music is intimate. As a listener you are invited into close proximity with Carvajal's experiences, like eavesdropping on a personal monologue. He delves into his own pain, joy and longing with a stark vulnerability and humour as he creates music as frail and strong as the human condition. There are layers of meaning within every line of his poetic lyrics that mean something specific and special to him, but can also be interpreted in comforting ways by listeners. If you care about lyrics coming from an honest and authentic place (brimming with humanity), Eyen Forever is your next favourite album. While this is Carvajal's personal story, the Tokyo location is as much the main character as he is, seeping into every idea and every note on the record. Hear it in the thunder from a typhoon that broke out during the recording of ‘New Year’ and ‘Cinnabon Odori Day’. ‘Gemini III’ was written on his bike as Carvajal broke into tears whilst riding across Tokyo, en route to teach junior high school kids about Canada (a place he has never visited) before they went on a field trip there. They sang ‘O Canada’ to him as he arrived. This unexplained burst of uncontrollable emotion shows a single person overwhelmed by the beauty and enormity of the world, grounded by the relationships of those around them. This explains Eyen Forever perfectly.

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