TURNTABLE LAB

Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion (with FREE MP3 Download) 2LP

psychedelic indie rock

BONUS: Purchase this album on vinyl and receive a coupon redeemable for a free high-quality MP3 download of the full record at Domino's website.

When's the last time a major album dropped on vinyl weeks before the CD or digital release? Heavy duty 180g vinyl with a stunning gatefold jacket, no less. Good lookin' out, Domino Records, and double good looks on Animal Collective, whose much drooled-over new LP does not disappoint. In the brief liner notes, the band talks about the Frank Gehry-designed Merriweather Post Pavillion, an outdoor music venue in Columbia, Maryland, of which the Collective share fond memories. "We've tried to make music that would be deserving of an amazing outdoor listening experience," they say. "As both a name and a place, Merriweather Post Pavillion represents this for us." As with much of the group's past output, I could easily visualize a number of the album's tracks being played in a vast field at sundown - the gently cascading "Daily Routine(1)," Madosini-sampling "Lion In A Coma(2)," sunny "My Girls(3)" and "Also Frightened(4)" all fit the bill. Also worth checking: album closer "Brothersport(5)" and "Guys Eyes(6)." 11 tracks; 54 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / rock + new wave + 80/90s / vinyl with free mp3 / and more

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Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam 2LP

psychedelic indie rock

Animal Collective's 7th studio album, and arguably their most popular (excluding Merriweather, cause it's maybe too soon to tell). Features the singles "Peacebone(1)" and "Fireworks(2)," which both grab you immediately, and forshadow a lot of the weird-pop prowess that Animal Collective would draw upon more on Merriweather Post Pavillion. Of course, it also features plenty of that vintage AC weirdness on songs like "Chores(3)" and "#1(4)." Nine tracks pressed up on thick slabs of vinyl, in a gatefold sleeve. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / rock + new wave + 80/90s / vinyl new arrivals

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Black Ghosts
Full Moon Remixes (Appleblim, Marlow) 12"

indy rock hit remixed

Couple o' remixes here for Black Ghosts' newest single, "Full Moon." First up is Skull Disco's Appleblim, who's usually known to turn in some downright evil sounding dubsteppy material. On this occaision, however, he flips the script and comes up with an awesome minimal tech-house take(1), one that almost sounds like it would be more at home on Spectral Sound. On the flip Marlow comes up with an epic dubstep remix(2), that almost sounds like what might happen if Phil Collins ever loses it and starts making dubstep tracks. Bells and ethereal synths give way to speaker chewing bass lines that meet up with a cinematic-strings and moaning vocals to create some goosebump-inducing sounds. This one has the power to make the room fall in love. Plays at 45, absolutely recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / dubstep + grime - vinyl / new electro + electro rock + rave / and more

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CSS
Donkey (with FREE MP3 Download) LP

BONUS: Included with the vinyl version of Donkey is a coupon for a free high-quality MP3 download of the full album.

Two years since they made big waves with their eponymous debut, Lovefoxx and her band of Brasileiras (plus drummer/producer Adriano Cintra) are back at us and sounding all growed up. Gone are the dirty, frenetic dance-rock sounds of "Alala" and "Meeting Paris Hilton," replaced with the plonging Hot Chippyness of "Believe Achieve(1)" and Pixies-esque guitar on "Rat Is Dead (Rage)(2)." The result is a cleaner and catchier vibe throughout, which works nicely on tracks like the bouncy new wave "Beautiful Song(3)" and synthed out "Let's Reggae All Night(4)." There are a couple throwbacks, including opener "Jager Yoga(5)," where Lovefoxx sounds more energetic than on the rest of the album as she sneers, "We didn't come into the world to walk around / we came here to take you out." Tell 'em girl. End result: new sound, same awesome CSS. 11 tracks. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / new electro + electro rock + rave

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Dead Kennedys
Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death LP

I know that Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is the Dead Kennedy's definitive album, this 1987 compilation is my favorite album. It's like New Order's Substance, it makes the band's catalog much easier to swallow. What sounds more friendlier as an opener, "Kill The Poor" or the awesome combination here of "Police Truck(1)" and "Too Drunk To Fuck(2)"? Plus it backs it up with the DK classics "California Uber Alles(3)," Holiday In Cambodia(4), I Fought The Law(5)," and "Pull My Strings(6)." Also checkout the super-oddities like the spoken word "Night Of The Living Rednecks(7)" and the bug-voiced "Buzzbomb From Pasadena(8)." This is a deluxe reissue of the album, pressed on heavy vinyl and packaged with a large fold-out insert. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / various rock + everything else

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DJ Eli
Money Lotion, Vol.4 EP

DJ Eli is the DJ's champ. Most every big name club DJ has some of his remixes in their arsenal. And for good reason: Eli's remixes are unparalleled. Sometimes he'll build a completely new song from a popular acapella, sometimes he'll use just the right amount of editing and extra drums to give a classic track some extra punch in the club. The latest volume in our Money Lotion series (for the working DJ!) features six of Eli's most requested remixes: "Juicy(1)" (Eric B & Rakim's "Know The Ledge"), a massive edit of Cassie's "Me & U(2)," "Voices(3)" (The Police's "Voices Inside My Head"), a slow-burning new disco take on Feist's "One Evening(4)," "I Will Be With You Again(5)" (U2's "New Year's Day") and "If You Need A Friend(6)," an edit of the Lab best-seller "The Promise" by When In Rome. This is the first time any of Eli's "whitelabel" remixes have been pressed on wax, and Money Lotion volumes are known for selling out anyway, so get 'em while they're hot. Limited pressing, Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / baltimore - vinyl / and more

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El Guincho
Alegranza LP

Domestic version of the phucking phenomenal sophomore album from one Pablo Diaz-Reixa, originally issued in miniscule quantities on the Discoteca Oceano label in early 2008. El Guincho makes completely addictive, semi-indescribable music - think beat-centric psychedelia, something like Animal Collective if they hailed from Barcelona not Brooklyn. (For what it's worth, the man himself describes it as "space-age exotica.") Stacked with convulsive Afrobeat percussion and obscure samples from diverse sources like Esquivel ("Fata Morgana(1)") and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop ("Costa Paraiso(2)"), Alegranza can make a claim which increasingly few records can these days: that it truly doesn't sound like anything else around. Tunes to check: "Palmitos Park(3)," "Prez Lagarto(4)," "Buenos Matrimonios Ah Fuera(5)." 9 tracks; 40 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Elliott Smith
Figure 8 2LP

The late Mr. Smith's most sonically adventurous and the "biggest" of his big label releases, the most excellent Figure 8 is back in print for the first time since 2000 (and on heavyweight vinyl too). From the sleepwalking opener "Son of Sam(1)" to the pseudo-sunny psych-influenced "L.A.(2)" to the knockout pair of "Happiness(3)" and "Pretty Mary K(4)" (recorded at Abbey Road, yeh), this is what they call a doozy of a record. You got Rothrock/Schnapf production, Jon Brion on backup vocals (hey, dude knows backup vocals), and of course Smith's always stunning arrangements and harmonies. Was always partial to the Heatmiser style rockers on here: the sinister piano and acid tongued lyrics of "Junk Bond Trader(5)" or the urgency in the chorus and faltering organ of "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud(6)." Definitely one for the collection. 16 tracks, double vinyl. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / various rock + everything else

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Elliott Smith
From A Basement On The Hill 2LP

My vinyl dreams have been answered. One of my all-time favorite albums gets reissued on heavy double black crack. Elliot Smith is definitely an artist best heard through the warm analog sounds of needle to rca-cable to cheap speakers (drinking a tall-boy of deli special). Highly recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / various rock + everything else

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Elliott Smith
New Moon 2LP

Far from the tomb-raiding compilations we've come to expect after great artists pass on (usually a few gems in a pile of trash), Kill Rock Stars' new double-vinyl Elliott Smith collection is a goldmine in plain sight. All 24 songs here were recorded between 1994 and 1997, and any Elliott Smith fan will tell you that's primetime right there. Fragments and low-fi versions of some of these tracks have been circulating online for years, but this is the first time anyone's assembled the whole picture (and filled in the gap with liners that include insightful first-person accounts). "Angel In The Snow(1)" is a beautiful track that could've easily been on the self-titled album, except that it appeared on a limited edition magazine giveaway and not many people ever got to hear it. Ditto for "See You Later(2)," which was on a cassette compilation limited to 300 copies. (Imagine owning that, then watching him on the Grammies.) The demo version of "Miss Misery(3)" is interesting, but the quiet and haunting "Going Nowhere(4)" totally steals the show here. "Big Decision(5)" is probably the best known track here, full of emotive vocals and amazing finger-picking. "Fear City(6)," "Either/Or(7)" and "Almost Over(8)" are worth hearing, too. In fact, this whole thing is worth hearing. It's great. We don't buy this shit to mine for breaks, nahmeen? Sometimes good music is good enough. 24 tracks; 73 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / various rock + everything else

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Eno / Moebius / Roedelius
After The Heat (180g) LP

Excellent reissue of the 1973 collaboration between Brian Eno and Moebius & Roedelius (the former two are better known as the German experimental duo Cluster). The notable standout is "Tzima N'arki(1)," which contains backwards vocals that are partially composed of the chorus to Eno's "King's Lead Hat." Eno's vocals also appear on "Broken Head(2)" and the anthemic "The Bell Dog(3)." Of course, the album also features cuts that flirt more with ambient and experimental concepts, like "Oil(4)" and "Foreign Affairs(5)." Also, don't miss "The Shade(6)" which sounds like it could be a Wyndham Hill cut until the Ratatat-esque guitars come in towards the end. 10 Tracks total, high quality 180g vinyl. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / funk soul disco - albums

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ESG
Says Dance To The Beat Of Moody 12"

no-wave classic

Damn, nice reissue. This is one of the few 12"s I've been able to justify dropping loot for (I paid $40 at a record show). First off, the original isn't easy to come by around here, even though it was a local release (can't imagine this pops up elsewhere with more frequency). The only time I've come across a copy (not on a wall or at a show), was when the record store next door to us threw out a box of records on the street (they've since gone out of business). More importantly, all three tracks on here blaze in their unique character, kinda like being born in its own sauce (that's how a waiter sold me mole chicken once), and they're ideally suited for the 12"/45 rpm format. Everyone knows "Moody(1)" by now, but "Dance(2)" is equally stunning. "The Beat(3)" is less serious and kind of goofy in a punk rock way. Lastly, the cover and label bring it all together into the sleeper hold position. This is low budget graphics and sleeve design mastery at its finest (probably done by a real deal designer feigning intentional lo-fi-ness). The integration of song titles into the 12" title is simple genius, one of those really basic things that gets me way too excited. Definitely one of my favorite 12"s of all time.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / and more

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Fifty Foot Hose
Cauldron (180g) LP

Official reissue on 180g vinyl. Originally released on Limelight Records in 1968, Cauldron is a true Bay Area gem. Fusing psyche rock and electronic experimentation (plus some cool female vocals), Fifty Foot Hose created a sound that appeals to the music nerdus, the beat digger, and those looking for something truly different. In addition to the traditional rock setup, FFH utilized early electronic instruments such as audio generators, echodette, squeaky box, siren, ring oscillator circuits and two Theremins. The album goes as far including electronic interludes between each song on the a-side. Check out the epic beats track "Fantasy(1)," the tripped-out title track(2), the great opener "If Not This Time(3)," the metal-ish "Red The Sign Post(4)," and the funky rock track "Rose(5)." Great cover art work as well, recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / funk soul disco - albums

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Glass Candy
Beatbox LP w/ Bonus 7"

Now available on vinyl. This special LP edition includes a bonus 45 featuring two previously unreleased tracks - "High B" and "The Gate" - and comes in a handsome pic sleeve with full lyrics sheet. Italians Do It Better are killing it right now with the releases, and this one is no exception. Beatbox features 9 icy smooth disco-pop tracks from the power duo of Glass Candy. Johnny Jewel is on production duty, lacing the retro-future synth driven beats up proper, while Ida No serves up the sexy smooth vox like no other. If you liked their stuff on the After Dark comp or picked up the "Miss Broadway" single, you pretty much need to get this one too. Checkout their fantastic cover of the Kraftwerk classic "Computer Love(1), sweet and funky soul on "Rolling Down Hills(2)," modern Italo action on "Digital Versicolor(3)," and the future-pop gems "Etheric Device(4)" and "Beatific(5)." Excellente! Recommended for sure.
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / rock + new wave + 80/90s / and more

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Glass Candy
Miss Broadway 12"

Glass Candy has a knack for covering the classics. If you heard the sexy cover of Kraftwerk's "Computer Love" that was floating around the blogosphere for awhile (and on the After Dark comp) you know what I mean. For their first 12" release on the Italians Do It Better imprint, they take on Belle Epoque's legendary "Miss Broadway." I was a little skeptical at first, since the original's energy and distressed vocal style seems really difficult to replicate, but again they prove to be up to the task. Vocalist Ida No manages to sound feisty and hot like the original disco divas, whlie Johnny Jewel Italo-fies the beat with lavish synth work for steamy midnight action. And if you like the beat sans vocals, the flip features an instrumental and a dubby "After Dark(2)" version. Limited press of 1000. Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / new rock / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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Grizzly Bear
Live On KCRW 7"

record store day exclusivo

Record Store Day Exclusivo! This one was pressed up just fr Record Store Day (one of our favorite holidays, natch), which is this Saturday, April 18th. Featured here are two reverb-drenched tracks, played live on the venerable LA radio station KCRW. First up is "While You Wait For The Others(1)," a track taken from their highly anticipated, upcoming LP Veckatimest. The flip features a nice version of "He Hit Me(2)," originally recorded for the Friend EP. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / warp - vinyl

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Grizzly Bear
Two Weeks (Fred Falke Remix) 12"

There are few phrases that get me as excited as "Fred Falke Remix" so when this 12" showed up I was, to say the least, glad to see it. "Two Weeks(1)" is the lead single from Grizzly Bear's upcoming LP Veckatimest, and on it's own it's a pretty nice slice of indie-pop. Those background vocals are kinda nuts, right? Well, Fred Falke decided to take that and turn it into an updated version of an 80s new wave cut(2) (I can definitely hear little hints of When In Rome and Pet Shop Boys in here). It's big and dramatic, and there's something about the way Daniel Rossen's falsetto lays on top of those big major chords that feels like summertime to me. Remember what Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke remix of Mr. Brightside was in 2005? This is 2009's answer to that, use it wisely. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / warp - vinyl / and more

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Jane's Addiction
Nothing's Shocking (180g) LP

We had a review of this in the Lab archive, but it talked about "when I'm not listening to beats or hip-hop, I would listen to this..." Funny, in the late nineties, the DJ world was so immersed in a hip-hop bubble: buying doubles, wearing 6 panel hats, and being generally repressed. Premier-produced albums took the place of really good rock albums and you only could listen to The Smiths in the privacy of your own room. We'll the bubble is burst and hip-hop is pretty much a goner, and this is what I am talking about. 180g pressing of this 1988 alt-rock c-c-classic. F Smif N Wessun, I'd take JA anyday... Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / various rock + everything else

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Jane's Addiction
Ritual De Lo Habitual (180g) 2LP

For the first time, available on 180g double vinyl! The last real Jane's Addiction album. By this time in their history, the band could not stand each other, so they recorded each of their parts separately. The only track they recorded together in the studio was "Three Days(1)." Unsurprisingly, this song is known as Jane's finest moment, an updated "Stairway to Heaven." Imagine if they had created the rest of the album together. The cream of this album is definitely the second half, set off by the salvo of "Three Days," "Then She Did(2), Of Course(3)," and "Classic Girl(4)" which forms one of most pleasing triplets of songs, a comedown from the heights of "Days." Also includes: "Stop, No One's Leaving, Ain't No Right, Obvious," and "Been Caught Stealing(5)." Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / various rock + everything else

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JD Twitch
10 Inches of Fear 10" w/ FREE Mix CD

RVNG enlists one half of infamous Glasgow duo Optimo for perhaps their most ambitious release to date. This is actually a double-deck release comprised of one 10" and one 60-minute mix. The "10 Inches of Fear" feature four Twitch re-edits from the catalog of seminal anarcho-punk label Crass Records by bands like Flux of Pink Indians(1), Honey Bane(2), The Mob(3) and Zounds(4) - all licensed and approved by the artists, no less! The accompanying 22-track CD - "60 Minutes of Fear" - is an extension of the idea, featuring jams from Twitch's formative musical years: "The mid to late 1980s was the period when I really started to buy a lot of records. I was particularly obsessed with (mainly) American bands like Sonic Youth, Big Black, Swans, Butthole Surfers, Flipper, etc. etc." In addition to those artists, the mix also features tracks by Crass, Sun City Girls, The Ex, Minutement, Husker Du, Black Flag, Screamers, Fatal Microbes, Poison Girls and more. The whole thing is presented in a hand-screened sleeve and includes a big 20"x20" fold-out poster with a "personal punk rock history compiled by Twitch." Only 1,500 pressed. Recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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Joy Division
Closer (180g) LP

I hadn't listened to Joy Division in years before today, and I honestly thought I was kinda "over" them. But after revisiting the 180g vinyl reissues of Closer and Unknown Pleasures, I'm ready to go down to Flatbush and get one of those custom-airbrushed t-shirts, like "IAN CURTIS R.I.P." There's really no overstating the awesome power of this album - to quote every dad ever, they just don't make 'em like this anymore. I'm having a hard time making audio picks, 'cause you can drop the needle anywhere and hit gold: "Atrocity Exhibition(1)," "Isolation(2)," "A Means To An End(3)," "Heart and Soul(4)" - they're all full of powerful instrumentation and haunting vocals. The vinyl is thick and sounds great (everything's been remastered), and the packaging replicates the original release perfectly with sparse, minimal design from Peter Saville. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended

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LCD Soundsystem
45:33 2LP

45:33 was originally commissioned by Nike for iTunes as a "work out" mix, but this shit is so good that the DFA decided to put it out on CD and LP. The "mix" isn't a mix in the traditional DJ sense of the word, but rather an epic disco-movement played live by James Murphy and Co. It starts off with a lonely synth line that slowly builds in tempo then eventually grows into a full on groover that erupts into various rhythms and styles eventually climaxing, then breaking down into an ambient drone. You'll recognize some tunes of the Sound Of Silver album for sure (like "Someone Great" and others) but the way it is all presented is fresh and unique. You should see the list of instruments that James Murphy plays on this thing too - everything from vintage drums, guitar, all kinds of synths, vocoder and the glockenspiel. Very, very impressive. Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / dfa + related

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Leo Zero
Dub Psychedelic Vol.2 (David Bowie, John Lennon, The Police) 12"

recommended edits of David Bowie, John Lennon, Police

Leo Zero, aka Leo Elstob of cult Balearic band A Mountain Of One, delivers the second volume of his highly in-demand Dub Psychedelic series. I particularly like the direction of this series cause it edits known tracks rather than the super-obscure. On the a-side, Leo offers two re-edits(1,2) of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream." Moreover, these aren't wimpy looped intro edits either, Leo is in deep concentration, splicing, re-arranging, and dubbing. On the flip, Leo gets into John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "How Do You Sleep(3)" and then an extended dub version(4) of The Police's "Spirits In The Material World." Highly recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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Liquid Liquid
Optimo Cavern 12"

There's only so much 99 Records stuff out there, and though it's always nice to find a Congo or Vivien Goldman record, you can't really beat Liquid Liquid. Thanks to comps from labels like Soul Jazz and Mo Wax, everybody knows every song on this classic four-cut EP. The songs are exercises in instrumental space, utilizing rub-n-tug basslines, dominating roto toms, and multi-layered percussion (ed.note: is this a joke? Roto toms?). If you've never heard these tracks, shame on you, you're probably an MTV PA thinking "I really should give that new Green Day album a second chance." Oh wait, that's me. I've got a special connection to this record cause Kevin gave me his when the idiot from Stooz Records (crappy record store that used to be by the Lab store) threw away doubles(!) of it, as well as some ESG records. His ignorance, my gain. Kicking off proceedings is the "No, not 'Cavern'" track "Optimo." Backwards cowbell in the house! From its herky-jerky drum loping and the monosyllabic bassline we get one of the heaviest drum-dircle tracks in history. "Scraper" is also my shit, what with the guiro and xylophones and such. It's a pity Pete chose to put the "duh obviously" track "Cavern" on the audio instead of the EP closer "Out," cause the latter densely summarizes the sound on this record, except Sal Principato goes apeshit on the vocals. This is kind of one of the best records of all time. Recommended.
reviewed by the Woodman

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / and more

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Men & Women
South America (Eliot Lipp & Cousin Cole Remixes) EP

Fancy pic sleeve debut 12" from this duo of Bklyn weirdos -- two dudes, despite the name -- on their own War & Moon label. Brad Frost and Jamie Granato (aka Rezound, ex-Lab audio dude extraordinaire) make some beautifully hazy, trance-inducing left-field disco, if you wanna call it that, on the 12-minute "South America(1)" using only guitars, drum machines and heaps of effects. The result is hard to describe, but very easy to get lost in. The remixes from Hefty's Eliot Lipp(2) and Cousin Cole(3) of Tambourine Dream fame get this beast tamed for the dancefloor, but I'll keep this one in the collection for at-home listening purposes. Also includes another M&W original, "Flowing Blood(4)." Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Metallica
Master of Puppets LP

This is the Metallica reissue that I've been waiting for. Do we really need to get into the story about adolescent awkwardness and uncontrollable hormone rushes? About drinking your first beer from a can? Joining Columbia House tape club? Finding your first porno mag? Getting in wrestle fights with kids in the neighborhood? Digging up worms? Shooting bb guns? Hanging out at the creek? Jumping BMX bikes? Shoplifting comics from the local drugstore? Wearing jean jackets with pins on em? Re-mastered, high quality pressing. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / 80s + 90s / various rock + everything else

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Metallica
Ride The Lightning LP

If Kill 'Em All, in all it's headbanger adoring, fanboy glory, was the birth of thrash, Ride the Lightning is its bar-mitzvah. Gone are the feelgood anthems to headbanging, drag racing, and legions of denim clad brothers-in-arms and in their place sit songs about nuclear war, the death penalty, suicide, drug addiction, and the doomsday cult monsters. Straight off the bat the album is heavier, faster, darker, and harder than Kill 'Em All. As a sophomore effort it cranked up the intensity a huge notch and let fans know that the "Four Horsemen" weren't just a bunch of heshed out drunks but skilled and socially aware musicians with something to say. All bullshit aside, this album kicks ass. Opening slow on "Fight Fire(1)" and then blasting into a thrashed out rant on mutually destruction and execution, the first two tracks are a 'banger's (as well as a sampler if you're good enough...) wet dream. On top of the fact that out of 8 songs anybody off the street, metalhead or not, can recognize at least 3/4ths of the album by sound if not name should say a lot. Definitely listen to the first side as a whole for the full effect but if you're looking for the real highlights "Fade to Black(2)" is the first (and one of the only) respectable thrash ballads while for whom the bell tolls is the creepiest intro since Black Sabbath/Black Sabbath. On side two "Creeping Death(3)", especially the breakdown will blow your speakers with its might and the closer gives that last little hint of the Mustaine influence with some sweet Cliff Burton highlights. Comes in the original picture sleeve. This shit's real, no joke. Highly recommended.
reviewed by Newjack

file under:
bestsellers / 80s + 90s / various rock + everything else

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New Order
Temptation / Hurt 7"

Record Store Day reissue 7" of a New Order classic

Reissue little-hole 7" of one of New Order's best tracks, pressed up for Record Store Day which occurred not too long ago. "Temptation(1)" is one of those great classic party songs, everyone who's got a soul goes nuts for that falsetto vocal line and the "Up, down, turn around!" lyric. The flip side features "Hurt(2)," which was the b-side on the original 7" that was released in 1982. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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Phoenix
Lisztomania Remixes (Holy Ghost) 12"

big remixes of Phoenix's breakout single

If you're not familiar with "Lizstomania," it's really just a matter of time until it invades your life and totally takes over your brain (Snackmaster said he still hasn't heard it, so I know there are a few of you out there). This is one of the songs that will define the Summer Of Love '09, one that will remind you of making out and BBQs for the rest of your life. If you live in Bushwick or Echo Park, you're probably already, like, totally over it or whatever. As fun and poppy as the original is, it's been begging for a proper remix since it was released and thankfully Kitsune has enlisted a few intrepid producers to translate this one for the dancefloor. New disco kings Holy Ghost put their trademark disco sheen(1) on the track, adding a squelching synth bassline and some big 2am claps that really bring it to the next level. Classixx are a pair of new comers from LA, and they take it to dubby cosmic territory(2), sounding a bit like Aeroplane (who have been playing this one heavily recently), but I don't think anyone's mad about it one bit. Really great, moody vibes, my favorite of the bunch. Finally, Der Die Das opens the valve all the way with a thumping, faster house remix(3) that could really hit with the right crowd at the right time. Solid work all around, heartily recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / kitsune + related / rock + new wave + 80/90s / and more

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Po Po
Kill Tonight (Red Vinyl) 7"

A rock record from Mad Decent!? Believe it. Popo are the latest to put out a record on the Philly label, and even though it might not be showing up in your DJ set anytime soon, it definitely doesn't disappoint. "Kill Tonight(1)" has a lo-fi garage sound, reminiscent of 90s indie rock. On the flip, "Feel Good Song Of The Year(2)" approaches hazy lo-fi pop, definitely a hint of My Bloody Valentine or Suicide in this one. Of course the packaging is dope as hell too, the eyes on that lady are cut out, and it's pressed up on clear red vinyl. Plays at 45, recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
bestsellers / new rock

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Radiohead
2 + 2 = 5 (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Creep (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Drill (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Fake Plastic Trees (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
High & Dry (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
In Rainbows LP

Not sure if you heard, but Radiohead put out a new album a few months back and it's pretty good. In case you didn't already steal it from the intarwebs -- or if you did and you'd like something better than 160kbps MP3s -- here's the official vinyl version, pressed loud on heavy wax with full lyrics and liners. Check these tracks: "15 Step(1)," "Weird Fishes / Arpeggi(2)," "Reckoner(3)," "Bodysnatchers(4)," "All I Need(5)." Pitchforkian cheekiness aside, In Rainbows is the follow-up "rock" album that everyone's been wanting from Radiohead since OK Computer dropped, easily surpassing Hail To The Thief and barely even comparable to the more electronic- and ambient-leaning Kid A. 10 tracks; 42 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Karma Police (180g) 12"

pecial 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
My Iron Lung (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
No Surprises (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Paranoid Android (180g) 12"

first time on vinyl

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Pyramid Song (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Radiohead
Street Spirit (180g) 12"

Special 180g 45rpm pressing released on 12" vinyl for the first time (previously CD EP releases). Check tracklisting for further details. Limited edition. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl

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Ratatat
Loud Pipes 12"

The latest Ratatat album keeps on bringing the incredible single action. "Loud Pipes(1)" is generally considered the finest track off the Classics LP, and in one listen, you'll know why these guys are so hyped. If you don't want the good feeling to go away, let the record play to the Outtakes version, where the guys extend the groove for an additional 3 minutes (but I want the 30 minute version!). On the flip E*Rock offers up a remix of "Kennedy(2)," plus you get the non-album track "Goose." Recommended for "Loud Pipes" for sure.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / new rock

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Ratatat
LP3 (with FREE MP3 Download) LP

BONUS: All vinyl copies of Ratatat's LP3 include a coupon redeemable for a high-quality MP3 download of the full album.

Ratatat is back with their (you guessed it) third long-player and damn, these dudes have done it again! Even if "it" in this instance isn't so much a cohesive album as it is a collection of diverse and tough-to-describe compositions. From the baroque (baroqckue?), cinematic opener "Shiller(1)," it's clear that we're dealing with a more grown duo than we heard on Classics... although the the next track, "Falcon Jab(2)," is a tabla- and talkbox-infused scorcher that could stand right next to "Wildcat" and "Pipes" in the 'Tat ouvre. The main thing about LP3 is that even when the guys aren't full-on rocking, they're still producing beautiful results - check the lush "Mi Viejo(3)," "Black Heroes," and fractured "Imperials(4)," the latter of which could be a jam between Koushik, Four Tet and Animal Collective. Of course if you can't get enough of the rock, there's always the extremely Ratatat-y "Bird Priest(5)" and bumping "Mumtaz Khan(6)." 13 tracks; 42 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / vinyl with free mp3

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Roctakon & Eli
Money Lotion, Vol.7 EP

dj edits, very limited

Lab club jocks Roctakon and DJ Eli split sides on the people's champ Money Lotion, now on its seventh release. Roc reveals two of his highly sweated Material Girl remixes (1,2) on the A-side, while Eli gently places a Stevie Nicks rework(3) on the b-side altar, complete with drumapella for mix tricks(4). Super-limited pressing of 500 with silkscreened covers. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / 80s + 90s / house / minimal / techno - reviewer recommended / dance remixes

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Sebastian
Walkman #2 (Rage Against The Machine) 12"

Magma pap smear! Searing Grey's Papaya hot dog in your bunghole! This Ed Banger white label release featuring Sebastian infamous' Rage Against The Machine remix(1). Do I need to say anything else? A-side features the unreleased Side Walk-Man re-edit(2). Each 12" comes with different cover insert (random). Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / various rock + everything else / ed banger + institubes + related

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Serge Gainsbourg
Histoire De Melody Nelson (180g) LP

First time domestic reissue of this classic from B-Music and Light In The attic. This deluxe version features glossy gatefold packaging and extended linear notes and a 1971 interview with Serge. Here's our original review: "There are many reasons to add this album to your collection, not the least of which is the incredible covered cooter proudly displayed by Jane Birkin (aka Jane B). Damn those hippie girls from Blow Up. Fans say this is French rebel icon Serge Gainsbourg's masterpiece. And it's got beats. Although broken into a few different movements, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a singular piece of work held together with Serge's gravel lyrics, a recurring tar-pit bass and the story of Melody Nelson. The album is book ended by "Melody(1)" and "Cargo Culte(2)" which both utilize the album's centerpiece- that haunting bass that you will recognize from the Beatnuts' "Superbad." En Melody(3)" also deserves mention for the great intro and controlled spazz guitar work (sampled by De La). Serge was a legend- banned in many countries for his blatant sexual and political messages, loved by women despite having a "head like a cabbage," always centered in controversy and usually producing interesting work. In Serge's later years, he attended an awards show and told Whitney Houston "I want to fuck you" on live TV. ODB would be proud." Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / funk soul disco - albums / and more

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Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys
Git LP

Ghostly has always done one thing exceptionally well, and its find these unknown, avantgaard pop bands that just ring an air of brilliance about them. Skeletons has had a few names over the years, but one thing is always true - they deliver some seriously great tunes for your ears. The first time a friend of mine played me "Y'all Thinks Its So Easy(1)," I wondered if I was listening to some Outkast b-side that never got play time. Boy, was I ever wrong! Moving onward in the album, I found fun-as-fuck clips like title track "Git(2)," a Radiohead-esque "While We Were At The Movies(3)," and an funk stomper in "You'da Been Better Off(4)." There's really no shortage of styles and eccentricies on this album, so its in your best interest to just trust me when I say "you won't hear anything like this for quite some time." Recommended.
reviewed by minimal man

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / ghostly + spectral - vinyl /

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Talking Heads
Psycho Killer 12"

This is a repress of the promo EP that was released with the Talking Heads first live album, The Name Of This Band Is The Talking Heads. And whereas you might flinch at the idea of a live record being one of your crate staples (the tracks on here are 3 out of 4 phf for them 80s people), this one might actually be better off for it. The studio versions of some of these cuts are so well known, and so polished in comparison, that a little live variation and grit make them that much more club worthy. Check the sound on big cuts like "Psycho Killer(1)," "Take Me To The River(2)" and "Life During Wartime(3)" (aka "This Ain't No Disco"), they feel made for the pop-not-pop cool rock set. The fourth track, "Houses In Motion(4)," isn't as well known or dancefloor ready, but it's got some cool parts too. Plays at 45rpm, sweet minimal b&w sleeve included.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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Tame Impala
Half Full Glass of Wine (Canyons & Fred Cherry Remixes) EP

infectious rock from australia

Tame Impala is a relatively new band consisting of three young fellows from Perth, Australia, but their music sounds like it came from England of about three decades ago - something the boys fished out of dad's moldy boxes in the garage, overlooked contemporaries of Deep Purple, Cream or Zeppelin. Funny enough, the lead track on this debut EP, "Half Full Glass of Wine(1)," starts with a little wink to the Stone Roses' "She Bangs The Drum" before shifting to an endless, insistent bluesy riff. "Glass of Wine" also has a great and explosive hook, but it's got nothing on "Skeleton Tiger(2)," a sun-baked affair which leaves you chanting "you can do what you want as long... as the current is high and strong..." and doing little air drum fills on the train. The decidedly stoned "The Sun(3)" closes out the side perfectly before turning the reins over to Hole In The Sky stablemates (and EP producers) Fred Cherry and Canyons, who cut remixes of all three tracks on the flip. Canyons' "retamed" version of "Skeleton Tiger(4)" and Cherry's complete psych overhaul of "The Sun(5)" just make the package that much more enticing, but really the band's originals speak for themselves. Highly, highly recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / bestsellers / new rock / rock + new wave + 80/90s / and more

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The Apples
The Power / Killing (Snap, Rage Against The Machine) 12"

Israeli funk outfit The Apples follow-up their impossible cover of Rage Against The Machine, with this even more impossible cover(1) of SNAP's "I GOT THE POWER." And that's no reviewers joke. But like their version of "Killing In The Name of(2)" (which is also featured here, bonus!), they manage to create something really memorable (verses some over kitschy garbage). B-side features the original track "Upskirt(3)" and an awesome and lengthy scratch sample section for DJs that still cut-that-shit-up-homey. On sheer boldness... recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / funk soul disco 12" - A-J

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The Mountain Goats
Heretic Pride LP w/ FREE MP3 Download

Man, I can't remember the last time I liked a "rock" album this much.
(Like the WHOLE ALBUM. Imagine that!) If you're not familiar, the Mountain Goats are basically one Mr. John Darnielle, and even if "acoustic" and "folky" are apt adjectives for most of his (hundreds??) of songs, the sum total of the music feels like a lot more. For the skeptics who have been listening a while, yes, the sound is far removed from the boombox recording days, but you gotta think of those as sketches and these as full-on paintings. And dude is Bob Rossing it! Except instead of happy mountains and clouds, Heretic Pride is rife with swamp creatures, chicks in Marduk t-shirts and Lovecraft-style paranoia. Of course in typical Darnielle style, the raw, jittery "Lovecraft In Brooklyn(1)" has the album's lol moment when he blurts out "woke up afraid of my own shadow...
like, genuinely afraid!" I could go on, but just check out the great opener "Sax Rohmer #1(2)" - if you like that, proceed to the title track(3), "How To Embrace A Swamp Creature(4)," "New Zion(5)" and "Autoclave(6)." Nice subtle production once again from John Vanderslice and Scott Solter. And did I mention it comes packaged with a code that gives you access to a free high-quality MP3 download of the full album? 'Cause it does. Obviously recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
bestsellers / new rock / vinyl with free mp3

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The Rub
Party Medleys, Vol.1 EP

Another clever and useful piece of wax from The Rub dudes, who present four well-made and totally diverse medleys "for Serato DJs to keep in their bag, that can be used at any tempo when the DJ needs to play a real record." It's also good for unexpected crashes/reboots and beginner DJs, or bathroom/beverage breaks. The medleys are mixed quick, NYC party style, but with intros and outros to each medley for mixing. The medleys are: 80s(1) with Prince, MJ, Rolling Stones and Hall & Oates; House(2) with Stardust, Robin S and Nightcrawlers; Crunk(3) with Lil Jon, Lil Scrappy and Luda; and Dancehall(4) with Shaggy & Rayvon, Shabba, Cutty Ranks and Mr. Vegas. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
bestsellers / 80s + 90s / mash-ups + blends + instrumentals + acapellas

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The Smiths
The Headmaster Ritual / Oscillate Wildly 7"

record store day exclusive

What a beautiful 7". For this particular review, I was going to write about how Johnny Marr is the star of these two tracks. "Headmaster Ritual(1)" starts off with shimmering and undulating waves of guitars and bass, but once Moz rips in (yes, he kinda rips here), you quickly forget about the other dood. What planet is Moz' melody from (planet prep-school poetry class)? And did you know he is part coyote? The b-side "Oscillate Wildly(2)" is probably the most deserving of the 7" format. This instrumental has always served as an intermission where I'd get all these epiphanies about life and music. Enough sick ducking, I'm waiting for Woodman to email me, telling me how lame my Smiths review is. Limited edition from Record Store Day, so act quick. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / new wave + no wave + electro / various rock + everything else / and more

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The Strokes
Is This It LP

These guys have an office across the street from our store. Their management bought turntables from us, and in exchange they gave Roctackon (the paradoxical hip-hop Strokes lover DJ Lab employee) a pair of Strokes chucks to suck on. Quick flashback, one of my friends from high school had a semi-hot Spanish housekeeper. One day she walked in on him sucking on a pair of her panties and humping a pillow. True story. Anyway, this has it all, plus "New York City Cops" that got deleted on domestic cd version.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
bestsellers / new rock

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The Time & Space Machine
The Time & Space Machine Volume Two LP

Wicked. Richard Norris (half of Lab faves Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve) delivers this album of psychedelic re-edits, packaged in a banging sleeve. Tracks range from "full on, ten minute guitar freakouts to lysergic acid folk to warped sunshine freakbeat... and aural head trip for the weird and wired." Indeed, recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / bestsellers / various rock + everything else / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / and more

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