Montreal's Brigitte Naggar makes knotty, ethereal folk under the moniker COMMON HOLLY. The rhythm section is particularly strong here, supporting the arrangement of synth and strings and giving grounding to Naggar's more confessional songs.

Noise duo, LIGHTNING BOLT, bring us their sixth full-length and the first record to get the studio recording treatment. "Fantasy Empire" might be one of their best records yet, Gibson's bass guitar sounds super rich and dense, and Chippendale's knock-out drumming is as fast and controlled as ever before. Their blitz rock and electrified noise culminates to an exciting charge of new heights. Sort of like thrash metal meets math rock. Listen closely to the third track, "Horsepower", sounds like a sped up version of SLEEP. Definitely recommended! *This version comes in limited clear vinyl with pink and yellow splatter!*

THRILL JOCKEY is continuing to supply us record nerds with gospel by way of a much needed reissue series covering the legendary back catalog of LIGHTNING BOLT, with the second entry being their diamond in the rough self-titled debut. Unlike later albums, which lean heavily into their hypnotic, PHILIP GLASS & STEVE REICH inspired groove sessions, the lovingly nicknamed "yellow album" represents The Two Brians at their most raw, featuring extended & winding improvisations that recall SUN RA compositions moreso than the hyper-metal we've come to know. This leads to an absolutely head spinning collection of tunes that represent LB at their most mystic: before they became the legends that shaped an entire generation of weirdos, they were just two weirdos themselves, ascending to a plane previously unaccessible before & opening the gates for the rest of us. This 2LP reissue includes the bonus tracks from the BEYOND rare companion tape "ZONE"!!!

THRILL JOCKEY continues their much needed LIGHTNING BOLT reissue campaign with their second record, RIDE THE SKIES. From the stories of the original press that came in silkscreened prints selling faster than they could make them, to the fact that tracks like "Saint Jacques" and the title track have been covered by free jazz groups while serving as the theme music for surreal cartoons, RIDE THE SKIES is one of the Two Brians' most stone-cold of classics. Front to back, these tracks take the unhinged fury of their self-titled release and throws them into PHILIP GLASS-esque song structures, creating a magical hypnosis of frantic arpeggios and breathless drumming that makes time fold into itself like a mobius strip. That might sound like pretentious drivel, but trust us, that's exactly the kind of magic Chippendale & Gibson specialize in, and RIDE THE SKIES is truly the first time their spell gets cast without a hitch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!

It is 2019 and it is a good year. Yeah, things have been really crazy on a global scale and it seems like the end times are breathing down our necks, but there's a new LIGHTNING BOLT record, so how bad could it REALLY be? The two Brians have returned with what may end up being the most divisive album in their entire, 20+ year catalog, SONIC CITADEL. Taking the next logical step from 2015's FANTASY EMPIRE, the boys have returned to the legendary Machines With Magnets studio and cleaned up their act even further, revealing Chippendale's vocals for the first time, screaming and waxing fantastical poetic over what may be the most straightforward tracks they've ever put to tape. Tracks like the hilariously titled "Husker Don't" show Chippendale presenting his new child with life advice while Gibson lays down a riff that, maybe pun intended, sounds straight out of a HUSKER DU era hardcore track. But, noiseheads need not fret, as tracks like "Air Conditioning" & "Blow To The Head" bring some of the nastiest riffs ever concocted by Gibson, guaranteeing at least one stank face moment per song. It all adds up to the most varied album they've ever done and, honestly, it's the best album they've done since 2005's HYPERMAGIC MOUNTAIN. 2019 has shown us that some people fear change, but if all change could be as amazing as the advancement LIGHTNING BOLT showcases here, the world would be a better place. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

It is 2019 and it is a good year. Yeah, things have been really crazy on a global scale and it seems like the end times are breathing down our necks, but there's a new LIGHTNING BOLT record, so how bad could it REALLY be? The two Brians have returned with what may end up being the most divisive album in their entire, 20+ year catalog, SONIC CITADEL. Taking the next logical step from 2015's FANTASY EMPIRE, the boys have returned to the legendary Machines With Magnets studio and cleaned up their act even further, revealing Chippendale's vocals for the first time, screaming and waxing fantastical poetic over what may be the most straightforward tracks they've ever put to tape. Tracks like the hilariously titled "Husker Don't" show Chippendale presenting his new child with life advice while Gibson lays down a riff that, maybe pun intended, sounds straight out of a HUSKER DU era hardcore track. But, noiseheads need not fret, as tracks like "Air Conditioning" & "Blow To The Head" bring some of the nastiest riffs ever concocted by Gibson, guaranteeing at least one stank face moment per song. It all adds up to the most varied album they've ever done and, honestly, it's the best album they've done since 2005's HYPERMAGIC MOUNTAIN. 2019 has shown us that some people fear change, but if all change could be as amazing as the advancement LIGHTNING BOLT showcases here, the world would be a better place. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

Following up 2020's excellent "Dimensional Stardust", "Lightning Dreamers" is a new work from trumpeter and composer ROB MAZUREK that features JEFF PARKER, CRAIG TABORN, NICOLE MITCHELL and DAMON LOCKS. The pieces here harken back to MAZUREK's days in ISOTOPE 217 with their melding of textured electronic beats and cosmic jazz orchestration, while also touching on Brazilian rhythmic constructions. Absolutely stellar music on International Anthem. RECOMMENDED.

So many hits! Sly & the Family Stone "Everyday People", O'Jays "Backstabbers", Honey Cone "Want Ads", Chairman Of The Board "Just a Little More Time", Argent "Hold Your Head Up", Mott the Hoople "All the Young Dudes", Looking Glass "Brandy" and so many more!