Some Vinyl Bargains

Authentic folkies Bear's Den continue their acoustic-fuelled ascension to heaven, one sparse and delicate record at a time. The trio makes an ornate but simple sound through guitars, more guitars and some soft percussion. Their newest work and their debut record, 'Islands' is coming out through Communion Records 

Ben Watt, best known as one half of Everything But The Girl (with Tracey Thorn), returns to his initial starting point as a solo singer-songwriter. Fever Dream is an intimate set of traditional songcraft, recorded with help from musicians including M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger. Released on Watt’s own Unmade Road label.

Although their unique way with live performance and semi-bonkers ideas might suggest otherwise, British Sea Power's music is often very standard stadium leaning rock and they continue this trend on this their first new material in four years. Full of intelligent songs the clunkily titled Let the Dance's Inherit the Party features the usual wide range of subject manner pinned on to blustery '80s inspired pop/rock. 

Not only do we get a ferocious new album from James Newell Osterberg Jr., AKA Iggy Pop,  but we have been blessed with an even more unhinged performance of this killer material at the Royal Albert Hall. Post Pop Depression: Live At The Royal Albert Hall is three vinyl LPs and a 16 page booklet of exactly that. 

Between all the techno remixes and experimental punk bands from big city suburbs, Nathalie Prass is a refreshing singer-songwriter who knows how to encapture us with her pretty voice. We love being able to offer you something as simple, catchy and beautiful as her self-titled debut. Be careful not to go head over heels for her… We saw her first!

Released digitally in July, Caroline International bring the second in a series of three EPs from Nine Inch Nails to physical format. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross touch every base across five tracks, with a synth driven stomper, glitchy experimental electronics and a heavy and distorted climax…

Masseduction is the new album from St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark. It is her 6th, if you count the one she did with David Byrne. As the title may suggest, themes of sex, power, vulnerable relationships and death weave throughout the lyrics, which are autobiographical, according to Clark. Musically, Clark’s inventive guitar, synth and electronics create a punchy sonic backdrop.

Like Tame Impala’s ___ album Currents? Well if you do, here’s your chance for deeper insight into the record, with a Collectors Edition boxset that adds a 12” of remixes (including one by Soulwax), a 7” and a flexidisc of B-sides, a poster and an exclusive zine to a nice red marbled vinyl edition of the original album. That makes four discs and many pages by my count: nice.

That sleeve. Let's not talk about it eh? The Horrors career has been a case study in not standing still and they describe this album as a 'risk'. It has been produced by Paul Epworth (Paul McCartney, Adele) so we can't imagine it being as experimental as the excellent 'Primary Colours'. Lead track 'Machine' sounds a promising coagulation of Depeche Mode, David Bowie and something very noisy.     

Thurston Moore has kept himself very busy since Sonic Youth disbanded in 2011, working with numerous small projects, playing with countless collaborators and running Ecstatic Peace. Rock n Roll Consciousness is his first properly distributed full length for a while, and flutters between avant-garde, no-wave and poetic pop. A warm and engrossing oddity.