In The Groove

CD reissue. One In A Million is the second studio album by Aaliyah. First released in 1996 by Blackground Records, the album features production from a variety of producers including Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Carl-So-Lowe, J. Dibbs, Jermaine Dupri, Kay Gee, Vincent Herbert, Rodney Jenkins, Craig King, Darren Lighty and Darryl Simmons. With countless accolades, One In A Million remains as one of the most influential albums in Hip-Hop & R&B and proved to be a major breakthrough in Aaliyah's career. Welcome to the new world of funk.

Los Angeles based chamber-pop band Lavender Diamond has released their first album after eight years, Now Is The Time, via Petaluma Records. The album was written and produced entirely by Lavender Diamond, the trio of Becky Stark, Steve Gregoropoulos and Ron Regé, Jr., and mixed by Tucker Martine at Flora Recording & Playback in Portland, OR. The album features contributions from Nathaniel Walcott (Bright Eyes), Sasami (Domino Records) and RRHOF inductee Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, PJ Harvey, Beck).

The great state of Kentucky is world renowned for many things. Bluegrass music? Of course. The smoothest, best-tasting Bourbon created by the hands of man? It doesn't get any better. One thing that folks don't always associate with Kentucky however is visceral, in-your-face rock and roll. The Cold Stares are determined to change that perception.

Chris Tapp and Brian Mullins have known one another for a long, long time. They grew up in Western Kentucky, just a stone's throw from the border or Indiana, and attended different High School mere minutes down the road from one another. They originally started playing together in their early twenties before going their separate ways only to reunite in another outfit a decade down the line. "We were playing together in 2009 in another band that was doing really well," Tapp said. "It didn't work out, so we both kind of exited that band and contemplated retirement." It didn't take long before they were thankfully disabused of that notion.

That band is an intense amalgam of Led Zeppelin meets Free, Soundgarden meets Black Crowes; rock and roll wizardry where the riffs are hard, the vocals are searing, and the low end is capital "H," heavy. Most of the album was recorded in a single day at Sam Phillips fabled recording studio in Memphis. "That's our second record there, so there was a lot of familiarity going back in," Mullins said. "The thing about that studio is that it's old, and vibey. Sometimes you gotta bang on the gear a little bit to make it work. It's kinda like the Millennium Falcon. It's badass, but you just gotta get it running right."

`Heavy Shoes' is Cold Stares' best record yet, and they know it. It took a lot of blood, sweat, tears and doubt before Chris Tapp and Brian Mullins reached this moment, but it's all the sweeter knowing they did it their way. "We've been through some tough times, and I'd say our band is a pretty good representation for blue collar people in general. People that work hard. We're just a blue-collar American rock and roll band." `Heavy Shoes' is available August 13th through Mascot Records.

FEATURES:

• 5th studio album, debut release on Mascot Records.
• 15.8 million+ streams on Spotify, with 179k monthly listeners.
• 15.5k followers on social media.
• Their song "Suffer Me" is featured on the soundtrack for the video game, `CyberPunk 2077'. Recent licensing includes Dodge Motor Company, ESPN, NFL, X-Games, TNT Network, and Monster Energy

HEAVY SHOES

Reissue. Welcome To Our World is the debut studio album by the Norfolk, VA duo Timbaland & Magoo. First released in 1997 by Blackground Records, the platinum selling album features guest appearances from artists such as Missy Elliot, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, and Playa. Known as a classic among duos in Hip-Hop history, the album features singles such as "Up Jumps Da Boogie," "Clock Strikes," & "Luv 2 Luv Ya."

Reissue. Originally released in 1998 by Blackground Records, Tim's Bio: From the Motion Picture - Life from Da Bassment is the debut solo album from Hip-Hop & R&B superproducer Timbaland. With guest appearances from heavyweights such as Magoo, Missy Elliot, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Plays, Skillz, Nas, Jay-Z & Twista, as well as the debut on-record appearance of acclaimed MC Ludacris, Timbaland takes full control of production for the album. The album features the hit songs "Here We Come," and "Lobster & Scrimp."

Reissue. Indecent Proposal is the second studio album from Norfolk, VA duo Timbaland & Magoo. Originally released in 2001, the album features Magoo's Q-Tip-like flow and Timbaland's distinct production style drawing from reggae, retro and soul. Features include early appearances from Jay-Z, Twista, Petey Pablo and Ludacris, as well as looks from Aaliyah, & Static Major. Released nearly two months after Aaliyah's untimely passing, the album was dedicated to the memory of "Babygirl."

Reissue. The third studio album from Norfolk, VA hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo, Under Construction, Part II was released in 2003 by Blackground Records, and serves as the follow-up to Missy Elliot's album of the same name. With Timbaland handling a majority of the production, the album boasts the large and flamboyant beats that we've come to expect from Timbaland as one of the top producers of his time. The album features appearances from longtime collaborators such as Missy Elliot and Sebastian, as well as notable names such as Brandy, Wyclef Jean, and Bubba Sparxxx. Hit songs include "Cop That Sh*t," "Indian Flute," and "Naughty Eye."

Named by Q Magazine as one of the "5 Best Compilations of 2000," Romeo Must Die: The Album is the soundtrack to the Andrzej Bartkowiak 2000 film, Romeo Must Die. With executive produced by Timbaland, Barry Hankerson, Jomo Hankerson and Aaliyah, the film's star. The album features production from Irv Gotti, Rapture Stewart, Ant Banks, Eric Seats, Mannie Fresh and J Dub. Appearances include B.G., Chanté Moore, Dave Hollister, Destiny's Child, Ginuwine, Joe, Lil' Mo, Mack 10, Playa, Stanley Clarke, and Aaliyah, who appears on four songs. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum shortly after it's release.

Acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Steve Gunn returns this summer with his stunning new album 'Other You.' Recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy Award winning producer and engineer Rob Schnapf, Gunn sought to create an album that would push his melodic and compositional sensibilities to thrilling new heights. The resulting tracks find Gunn pushing his cosmic Americana to exciting new dimensions encompassing elements of prog, jazz, and contemporary classical music. The album also features contributions from Mary Lattimore, Juliana Barwick, Bridget St. John and Jeff Parker.

Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Liz Cooper will release her anticipated new album, Hot Sass, September 3. Produced by Benny Yurco (Michael Nau, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals), mixed by Dan Molad (Lucius, Emily King) and recorded live at Little Jamaica Recordings in Burlington, VT, the new album marks multiple departures for Cooper—from her nine-year home of Nashville to Brooklyn, from her band addendum of the Stampede, and from the genre-based expectations she’s accumulated throughout her career.  After heavy touring in support of 2018’s Window Flowers, where her songs stretched out in live settings, she felt constricted by the Americana-adjacent associations that "the Stampede" carried. So with her bandmates’ blessing, she dropped the moniker, pursuing sounds and songs that let her chase the inspiration lent to her by the likes of Courtney Love, Lou Reed, and David Bowie. With these twelve new songs, Cooper comes into her own—both musically and as a person—embracing a newfound sense of independence, honesty, maturity and creativity.  In addition to Cooper and Yurco, Hot Sass also features Cooper’s longtime bandmates and collaborators Joe Bisirri (bass), Ryan Usher (drums, percussion) and Michael Libramento (guitar, synthesizer).

Reflecting on the album, Cooper shares, “It’s me learning about what kind of woman I am and it’s not pretty all the time…I’m still processing these songs. Still reflecting. And I think that’s the thing—Hot Sass is just a stamp in time of what was happening in my life. I just want to continue making art that displays myself, the moments, and the people around me.”

The new record follows Cooper’s 2018 full-length debut album, Window Flowers, which was released to widespread critical acclaim. Of the album, NPR Music praised, “a gorgeously arranged and performed bouquet of psychedelia-tinged folk-rock,” while Rolling Stone hailed,  “Cooper pushes her strand of folk rock deep into psychedelic territory by merging her idiosyncratic vocal style with swirling, droning guitar effects and lacerating solos that feel dusted with otherworldly magic,” and Paste declared, “If we’re lucky, we are going to hear a lot more artists in the future like Liz Cooper.” Originally from Baltimore and now based in Brooklyn, Cooper has continued to tour consistently since her debut, performing alongside artists such as Dr. Dog, Shakey Graves, Bermuda Triangle, Lord Huron and Phosphorescent as well as special festival performances at Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival, BottleRock Music Festival, Lockn’ and more.

Cooper will also continue to tour throughout 2021 including upcoming performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Railbird Festival, Telluride Blues and Brews, Sea Hear Now Festival and Freakout Festival, with additional headline dates to be announced soon.

Watch the music video for the album’s first single, “Slice of Life,” directed by Daniel Yocum on YouTube.

Peppa Pig is an animated series for pre-school children about a cheeky and slightly bossy little pig called Peppa. Peppa lives with her little brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Her favourite things include playing games, dressing up, days out and jumping up and down in muddy puddles! Peppa does everything a normal four year old does. Her adventures always end happily with loud snorts of laughter!

Exit Wounds: The Album is the soundtrack to the Andrzej Bartkowiak 2001 film, Exit Wounds. Executive produced by Barry and Jomo Hankerson, the album features production from a variety of producers including Dame Grease, Irv Gotti, Bud'da, Eric Seats, DJ Paul, Juicy J, The Beat Bullies, & Timbaland. Appearances include Black Child, Drag-On, Ja Rule, Lady Luck, Mack 10, Memphis Bleek, Nas, Redman, Sheek Louch, Styles P, Three 6 Mafia, Trick Daddy, Trina & WC, as well as the film's star, DMX. The album peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 and features the hit single, "No Sunshine."

CD reissue. Force of Nature is the debut studio album by legendary R&B singer, Tank. Originally released in 2001 by Blackground Records, Force of Nature debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200. With hits such as "Maybe I Deserve," and "Slowly," the album features production from several notable Blackground regulars, including Bud'da, J. Dub, and Eric Seats. At just over an hour long, Tank makes his mark as one of the heavyweight R&B singers of the next decade to come.

Aaliyah is the self-titled third and final studio album by the "Queen of Urban Pop." Originally released in 2001 by Blackground Records, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Cited by critics as one of the best R&B records of it's time, the album is a reflection of herself as both a young adult and matured vocalist. Standout tracks include "We Need A Resolution," "More Than A Woman," and "Rock The Boat."

If you could call out to your country, what would you say? When Eric Bibb embarked on the title song that would galvanize his latest album, Dear America, the songwriter found himself unpacking a seven-decade relationship with a partner of dramatic extremes. Bibb has known many different Americas, the good, the bad and the ugly. Born in New York City on August 16th, 1951, the thunderbolt of the Sixties folk revival remains an era so alive in the 69-year-old's memory. Yet just as vivid are the dark societal flashpoints of the last year, when protesters highlighted the open wound of US race relations while a bitter Presidential election scrawled jagged battlelines. "This album is a love letter," Bibb explains of the record's root concept, "because America, for all of it's associations with pain and it's bloody history, has always been a place of incredible hope and optimism. You see young people now and it's amazing, with the whole Black Lives Matter movement. All of those things let me know that there is a kind of reverberation from that Sixties energy. You can't keep a good thing down."

Modest Mouse The Golden Casket

Focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray, and holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of existence into hymns we can share, Low present HEY WHAT. These ten pieces—each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook—are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them. The ineable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse - building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and attribute meaning to the music and art of these times, but the creative moment looks FORWARD, with teeth. HEY WHAT is Low's thirteenth full-length release in twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ Burton.

I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to the Velvet Underground & Nico, is a contemporary tribute to the Velvets debut, with each of the album’s songs performed by one of the band’s noteworthy artistic descendants.  Featured artists include Kurt Vile & the Violators, Sharon Van Etten, Iggy Pop & Matt Sweeney, Michael Stipe, Matt Berninger of The National, Courtney Barnett, King Princess, Fontaines D.C. and more.

Pokey LaFarge’s 7th studio solo album, In the Blossom of Their Shade, showcases the positivity of coming out of the darkness and into the light. When the 2020 global pandemic hit, LaFarge’s rigorous work ethic powered him through the potentially challenging creative period. As days became a couple months, songs blossomed from embryonic ideas into full-formed ones and he was ready to move on, which typified his mindset as a working artist. With this record LaFarge captures the thematic notion of being the perfect summer afternoon soundtrack...the type of music you want to listen to while having a cocktail with your significant other. It makes sense musically as well — LaFarge intentionally crafted songs that created space and have melodies that can glide throughout a composition that’s a far cry from the swing and blues-infused songs of his earlier work. LaFarge is an artist who refuses to rest on his laurels and compromise. He’s always motivated and ready to create. With In the Blossom of Their Shade the album is one of LaFarge’s strongest and most mature efforts to date.  

Internationally acclaimed hard rock musician and God of Partying, ANDREW W.K., marks another extraordinarily intense chapter in his fabled and perplexing tenure as a pop culture icon, with his fifth full-length rock album, God Is Partying. Hovering in the fluorescent spotlight of his legendary party power, God Is Partying sees ANDREW W.K. ransack the corners of the human psyche, reaching a triumphant apex in his catalog nearly 20 years after the release of his chart-topping 2001 full-length debut, I Get Wet. Showcasing his indisputable musical chops, God Is Partying features ANDREW W.K. performing all the album's instruments, in addition to co-producing the album with Grammy Award-winning engineer, Ted Young. Channeling the manic euphoria that has compelled ANDREW W.K.'s auditory insignia for decades, God Is Partying is comprised of nine exhilarating exaltations soaked with a flood of epic energy - often traversing nearly impenetrable lyrical themes while remaining refreshingly relatable, inspiring, and vital for survival. From sinister metallic bastions like the buzzing single "Babalon", to the timeless story telling of "Remember Your Oath", the album will have fans of embracing their own party power and reveling in the depths of musical euphoria. God Is Partying opens triumphantly with ANDREW W.K.'s hyper-melodic keyboard stylings introducing the menacing and magical music of "Everybody Sins", setting the stage for the dramatic immensity to follow. Tracks like the poetic, "No One To Know", and the soaring tension of "Stay True To Your Heart", transport the listener to the precipice of a sonic horizon - rising into synthesizer-infused epics of maximalist rock, each track showcasing another example of ANDREW W.K.'s expanding abilities as a vocalist and songwriter. Only halfway through the album is the listener driven directly into fiery depths with the massive track, "I'm In Heaven", before ascending into the sonic stratosphere with the tracks, "My Tower" and the album closer, "And Then We Blew Apart". The album is a true ode to the quiddity of ANDREW W.K. Emotional yet steadfast, ominous yet invigorating, God Is Partying embraces both the break-ups and break-downs of life, and ANDREW W.K. once again provides his audience with the perfect soundtrack to celebrate all the intensity life has to offer.

Mute are excited to announce the release of José González’s fourth studio album Local Valley, out September 17th on limited edition indie exclusive green vinyl, black vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Local Valley is a natural continuation of the styles that José has developed over the years both solo and with his band Junip. The album strikes a balance between stripped back arrangements—just Jose’s intimate vocal and exquisite nylon string guitar work—and tracks driven by groovy drum machine loops and other percussive elements.

With songs sung in English, Spanish and Swedish, Local Valley invites us to look beyond our tribal instincts and join together in a more harmonic state. The album explores our shared humanity and the scientific-based existential questions we face together on our quest to understand ourselves and our place in the cosmos.

José González has tallied over 1 billion streams, 150+ licensed TV, film, and video game uses, and has a major presence at radio stations around the globe. This year, he has been selected by National Geographic to be an Earth Day Ambassador alongside Willie Nelson, My Morning Jacket, Yo Yo Ma, and more.

The album cover and physical packaging of Local Valley showcases the beautiful hand drawn artwork of Swedish designer Hannele Fernström.

José plans to tour with Rufus Wainwright in the Fall of 2021.

Colleen Green has always been cool, but on 2015's I Want To Grow Up, she didn't necessarily feel it. Too young to be free of insecurities but old enough to be sick of them running her life, Green was experiencing an existential crisis. Five years and a new album later, we find her parsing out what it means to be grown-up-and realizing that it's actually pretty cool.Opener "Someone Else" is a paean to power in which Green let's a lover know that double standards can go both ways. A groovy bass loop and zig-zagging guitar lines underscore her realization that happiness is in her own hands, and the vibe is set. Next up is the witty, catchy "I Wanna Be A Dog," where Green celebrates the simplicity of a canine life and questions why she's still overcomplicating her own. Dark and slinky "Highway" uses ruthless driving as a metaphor for a lifestyle that no longer interests her.Burnt out on bad feelings and ready to have fun with melodies and beats, Green enlisted producer Gordon Raphael (The Strokes) to take her songs to higher ground while keeping her lo-fi aesthetic intact. Raphael was already a fan, having caught a show in L.A. and finding himself "struck by how confident and powerful she looked, even though she was the only one onstage." He agreed to take the gig, and together with drummer Brendan Eder and hip hop producer Aqua over a few weeks in Los Angeles, Cool was created. The album's themes come together on the anthemic "It's Nice to Be Nice," Green's reminder to herself that you get what you give, so it's important to try and be the best person you can-a hard-won but essential lesson in the emotional maturity that defines Cool.

2021 release from the iconic musician In the 2010s, Herb Alpert released a prolific run of eight new studio albums. This year, the iconic leader of the Tijuana Brass shows no signs of slowing down with his latest effort, Catch The Wind. This new collection features nine original compositions, covers of beloved Beatles hits "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yesterday", and American classics "Smile", "America The Beautiful", and "Summertime". So, charge up your iPhone, dust off your Hi-Fi, put batteries in your boombox, plug the headphones into your Walkman, and get ready to listen to Herb Alpert's Catch The Wind.

The album cover you’re looking at might lead you to conclude Charley Crockett is on one hell of a roll. You wouldn’t be wrong. Ten records in six years is some kind of prolific. The latest, a double album, suggests the artist has some songs worth paying attention to. It’s clear that he’s invested as much time in the studio, recording storytelling songs, and making storytelling videos, as he has barnstorming around the United States and Europe playing live shows.

Not bad for a thirty-seven-year-old late bloomer.

Charley Crockett has been a fairly remarkable artist to follow. He’s got a sound. He’s got something to say. He has a look. And there’s a gauzy veil of mystery surrounding him suggesting he knows more than he’s letting on.

All those records in such a short amount of time have come with a “No Two Alike” guarantee, particularly the last three releases: the darkly prescient Welcome to Hard Times; the semi-autobiographical, hard-core country-roots The Valley; and 10 for Slim, his tribute of songs by the obscure and wholly authentic Texas honky-tonk maestro James Hand.

His voice is one-of-a-kind. His distinctive, plaintive vocals crack unapologetically with emotion, and he phrases his lines around the beat like a jazz singer, while he expounds upon personal relationships and the world beyond.

Now comes Charley’s tenth album in his six-year career. In the Crockett tradition, it is as ambitious and ground-breaking as each piece of recorded music he’s put out so far. And it’s not just an album. It’s a double album of Charley Crockett originals, each song going the distance to further define this singer-songwriter-performer-artist who came out of the proverbial nowhere.

Charley has endured the collapse of the recording industry, no money, petty crime, societal ennui, the Covid-19 pandemic, open heart surgery, one-night stands, long distance rides in a van, loud truck stops and diners serving stale lukewarm coffee to get to where he is now.

His reward – and yours – is this collection of Charley Crockett originals.

Sad, uplifting, hard, and sweet, complex and delicate all at once, his songs are like life its ownself, just like the songs’ creator: like nothing you’ve heard or seen before, a genuine Texas original.
JOE NICK PATOSKI 

Riddy Arman opens her debut album from La Honda Records with a song called “Spirits, Angels, Or Lies” inspired by the true story of her father’s passing. In the lyrics, she examines the human tendency to interpret the unknown. The story she weaves details the final moments and visual hallucinations experienced when Johnny Cash visited her father on his deathbed. Long-time fans of Arman will recognize the song from her viral performance video, shot by Western AF in a Montana rail link boxcar, where the world was introduced to her distinct, sultry lope.

Against the bucolic and industrial backdrop of the video, Arman is clearly in her element, clad with ranch worn clothing. It is obvious she lives a lifestyle many romanticize, but few truly understand. However, Arman is more than just a cowboy, singing her lonely songs. The chapters of her life so far make for a story much richer than a common western archetype. Unafraid to take new paths, Arman has traveled across the country — from the farmlands of the Midwest to the bustling streets of New York City — writing songs, working as a ranch hand, and practicing an Agrarian lifestyle. It was during her childhood, full of folk and country music, in rural Ohio that she was first drawn to the guitar. Her deep dive into songwriting didn’t happen until her early 20s when she moved to central Virginia to resume her interest in horsemanship and agriculture on a friend’s small farm.

It was there, knee-deep in barn chores, that she found inspiration in female songwriting icons. The quiet isolation led to inspiration and a tangible way to heal through story. “Singing is my meditation, and I learned that in the imagery of Virginia,” Arman says of her growth during that time of her life. “It sets the stage for healing.”

With the encouragement of friend and fellow musician Kiki Cavazos, Arman began to feel more comfortable with a guitar in her hand. They often played together when passing through, and Arman credits Cavazos as her main inspiration. After Virginia, she headed west, taking a job at a farm in California where she spent four years working the land and learning livestock agriculture. In the sunburnt hills of ranch country, Arman fell in love, fell out of love, and found the beginning of her new record. Looking for a change of scenery, she found herself in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where many of the songs that would make up her self-titled debut record first came to life.

In the midst of this intensely creative period, Arman’s close friend overdosed. She headed to New Orleans in the wake of this loss and surrounded herself with the support and inspiration of several of her oldest and dearest friends. While in the Crescent City, Arman often joined her friend Nick Shoulders, playing shows around the Lower 9th Ward and downtown New Orleans. These stints on the stage served to bolster her confidence to perform and became just the catalyst Arman needed to keep going.

As fate would have it, Arman was invited to ranch sit in Montana, where she was contacted by content creators at Western AF at the behest of several New Orleans musicians. Not too long after the unexpected success of her Western AF session, Arman began an intensive six-day recording session at Mississippi Studios in Portland, Oregon. Hopeful, and longing to capture the essence of deeply personal stories from her life, she teamed up with producer Bronson Tew (Dom Flemons, Seratones, Jimbo Mathus) of Dialback Sound and tracked nine songs.

“Recording these songs brought me back to the times that inspired them, but instead of reliving the pain, the studio magic empowered me to overcome it,” Arman says of her experience.

The first song she wrote for the record, “Half a Heart Keychain,” started off as a slow and somber breakup tune. With the help of Tew, the track morphed into a triumphant and transformative anthem for women. Moving forward from some of life’s most painful moments is in many ways the thread that ties each song together. Songwriting became part of Arman’s dialog with life, translating the experiences in not only lyrics, but also performance.

“Most people would try to find a therapist, but at the time that wasn't something that I had access to, so I just started playing music because it was cathartic,” she explains. “It’s very, very meditative for me.”

While tracks like “Half a Heart Keychain” and “Too Late to Write a Love Song” allowed Arman to heal, her debut LP is far from just a breakup album. Her songs are rooted in the poetic imagery of country life, from the beauty of its simplicity to the isolation and loneliness that can often overtake its inhabitants.

“Old Maid’s Draw” is a song about the landscape where Arman has worked, an area mythologized by locals with the tale of a woman who lived alone in the early settling days of Montana. “Problems Of My Own” is rooted in classic country songwriting, exploring the darkness that can lurk within family life. With simple references to classic scenes, such as bacon frying in cast iron pans, the song explores the urge to escape.

Arman’s take on Kris Kristofferson’s beloved classic “Help Me Make It Through The Night” fits perfectly alongside her originals, with her aching vocals at center stage. “Barbed Wire” was written during her time working as a ranch hand and wisely recalls the seclusion and longing that can come while living on the range.

“A lot of folks distract themselves with work. It is a common trait of cowboys and ranchers alike,” Arman says. “In the song ‘Barbed Wire’ the cowboy understands who he is, but not how he relates to other people, so it is easier to be alone.”

Arman herself has chosen to take a different path, embracing isolation and interpreting her life through the rural landscape that adorns her lyrics. With fierce honesty and a voice that immediately commands attention, on her debut record, Riddy Arman has proven herself as much more than a cowboy.

Soundtrack To Your Life is the debut studio album from former O-Town star, Ashley Parker Angel. Originally released in 2006 by Blackground Records, the album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold. Primarily written by Ashley Parker Angel himself, the 12-track album features the hit single, "Let U Go."

bLOW is Colin Linden’s fourteenth solo album, following the first, Colin Linden Live, by forty years. It is his first electric blues record.

bLOW will bring you to the dance floor, or up your highway speed by ten or fifteen mph, but it’s also worth listening to in a more contemplative way. Most classic blues songs were written by more than one person over more than a few decades, and that’s what gives them their gravity. Colin has steeped himself in this tradition, on advice he got, at age eleven, from Howling Wolf: if you want to play this music, listen to the people I listened to. On 78 records, you might think, but a lot of those old bluesmen were still around in the 1970s, so Colin got to know and learn from Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, Johnny Shines,Blind John Davis, Son House, and Robert, and Sam Chatmon, who invited him to Mississippi and got him started on his first journey through the South.

A Beautiful Life is the first new music from Heartless Bastards since 2015’s Restless Ones. The album was produced by Kevin Ratterman (Strand Of Oaks, Jim James, White Reaper). Album performers include Andrew Bird on “The River,” Greggory Clifford (White Denim) on drums, Jesse Chandler (Mercury Rev, Midlake) on keys, flute, clarinet; David Pulkingham (Patty Griffin) on guitar, Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket) on keys. The music is a melange of blues rock, rock and singer-songwriter which surround themes about self-love and awareness, mental health, the environment, and consumerism.

GRAMMY-winning UK artist James Blake has announced his first new full-length album in 3 years, Friends That Break Your Heart, due out September 10 via Republic Records and featuring the new single, “Say What You Will.” Blake calls this a concept album and worked closely with artist Miles Johnston to design cover art that is a visual encapsulation of the emotions brought forth throughout the body of work. James Blake has also announced dates for his 2021 Fall Tour. Indie Exclusive Signed CD

Mild High Club makes a long-awaited comeback with Going Going Gone, the band's first solo album since 2016"s cult favorite Skiptracing.

An album that speaks directly to the times we live in, Going Going Gone sees Mild High Club blending the psychedelic pop of earlier albums Skiptracing and Timeline with influences from around the world, especially Brazilian avant-garde music from the '70s and '80s.

Eternal Blue - Spiritbox - After being named among Exclaim!'s New Faves last year, Spiritbox have detailed their debut album. The Victoria, BC-based metal outfit will share Eternal Blue from Rise Records.

The 12-track Eternal Blue includes previously shared singles "Holy Roller," "Constance" and "Circle with Me." "Yellowjacket" boasts a feature from Architects' Sam Carter, while the latest to arrive from the LP, "Secret Garden," can be heard alongside a music video below.

Vocalist Courtney LaPlante said of the song: "I think this is the most scared I've been to put out a song... I want to continue to showcase the fluidity that is inherent in heavy music, and even though this is just one part of a full body of work that may not sound exactly like this song, it is a song that we love and are obsessed with. I celebrate variation."

LaPlante added of Eternal Blue, "I must say that although we never intended to wait so long to do this record, I think it did help the songs become stronger... We have had enough time to release the exact music we would like to put out into the world, with no need to compromise. Every single note and every single syllable is the music that we have always dreamed of making and we are very proud of it."

SPIRITBOX / ETERNAL BLUE

Etheridge stumbled upon these decades old songs/demos years ago while gathering materials for a retrospective box set. As she went through the songs, it brought her back to the start of her career and how they just weren't right for that particular time or album. Some of the tracks were written before she had even come out and never felt comfortable releasing them, but knew they would be perfect for the box set. In 2013, the singer found herself back at Henson Studios in Los Angeles with her original band (Fritz Lewak, John Shanks, Kevin McCormick) and would give these songs a new life. Shortly after she finished the records, she would part ways with her label and the box set was shelved. Melissa would begin working on new material and once again, those songs were set aside. That is, until 2020 when she was sorting through old files to share with fans on Etheridge TV's Friday Night Time Machine show. The time was finally right. Fans will finally get a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then.

Over the last four decades, Bela Fleck has made a point of boldly going where no banjo player has gone before, a musical journey that has earned him 15 Grammys in nine different fields, including Country, Pop, Jazz, Instrumental, Classical and World Music. But his roots are in bluegrass, and that's where he returns with his first bluegrass tour in 24 years, My Bluegrass Heart. My Bluegrass Heart is the third chapter of a trilogy which began with the 1988 album, Drive, and continued in 1991 with The Bluegrass Sessions. The project features a who's who of some of the greatest instrumentalists in bluegrass music's history alongside some of the best of the new generation of players mandolinists Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, and Chris Thile; fiddlers Michael Cleveland and Stuart Duncan; celebrated multi-instrumentalist Justin Moses, bassists Edgar Meyer and Mark Schatz, and the amazing Bryan Sutton and Molly Tuttle on guitar.

'Buena Vista Social Club' is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album, recorded in just seven days in 1996 in Havana's 1950s vintage EGREM studios. It was clear from the atmosphere of the recording sessions that something very special was taking place. However, no one could have predicted that Buena Vista Social Club would become a worldwide phenomenon - awarded a Grammy in 1997 and, at 8 million copies, outselling any other record in the same genre. The acclaim of the original album has elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González & Omara Portuondo) to superstar status, inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders, and has contributed to popularising Cuba's rich musical heritage. Produced by Ry Cooder for World Circuit, the timeless quality of the music and the sheer verve of the veteran performers have ensured that this will go down as one of the landmark recordings of the 20th century. To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the album's recording, producer Ry Cooder and World Circuit's Nick Gold have gone back to the original tapes and into the archive to produce this Deluxe Remaster package, featuring previously unheard tracks from the original 1996 recording sessions, previously unseen photos, and new liner notes.

The debut self-titled album by singer Jojo. Originally released in 2004 by Da Family Entertainment and Blackground Records, the album features pop and R&B influenced tracks and vocal maturity well beyond typical thirteen year olds. Featuring the explosive single, "Leave (Get Out)," the platinum selling album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and established Jojo as a pop force for years to come.

CD reissue. One Man is the second studio album by acclaimed R&B singer, Tank. Originally released in 2002 by Blackground Records, the album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200. Though primarily featuring production from Tank himself, the album also sees work from acclaimed producers such as Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, and Bud'da. At just over 70 minutes, the album is filled with tender, sexed-up ballads, followed by up-tempo jams.

The third studio album by acclaimed R&B singer Tank, Sex, Love & Pain offers fans even more smooth, deep, seductive grooves. Originally released in 2007 by Blackground Records, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best R&B Album. At just under one hour, the album features production from TImbaland, The Underdogs, St. Nick, and Tank himself. Hit singles include "Please Don't Go," and "Heartbreaker."

The second studio album by singer Jojo, The High Road was released in 2006 by Da Family Entertainment and Blackground Records. Featuring production from heavyweight producers such as Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. With many music critics lauding the album for it's confidence and showcasing of Jojo's impressive vocal abilities, the album serves as a natural progression for her artistry and establishes itself as a classic for fans.