Amoeba Music

Shoegaze dreams can come true. On Future Ruins , Oxford, UK legends Swervedriver sound as mighty and magical as they did in their initial ‘90s incarnation, building a hypnotic, fuzzed out wall of sound right off the bat with opener “Mary Winter.” The intensity never lets down over the course of these excellent ten songs — and who would want it to? Swervedriver’s latest LP is a feast for the senses, a gloriously noisy serving of art rock that will tick all the right boxes for fans. More

In August 2018, Say Anything's Max Bemis wrote that the act was taking a hiatus, and that Oliver Appropriate would be it's last album for the time being to focus on life and other projects. Billed as a sequel to 2004's ...Is A Real Boy , Oliver Appropriate is a concept album revolving around the fictional title character finding unrequited love with another male character, death, and redemption. At just over thirty minutes, Appropriate is shorter than most Say Anything releases, but longtime fans will find enough familiar bursts of Bemis' pop-punk angst to tide them over until the next chapter of his musical career is offered. More

Portland's own Dandy Warhols kick off their twenty fifth year of existence with their tenth full-length release, Why You So Crazy . The title may be a reference to the current state of the world at large, but it could also apply to the band's everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to this latest batch of songs. Psych-pop first single? Check. Electro country-tinged Iggy Pop pastiche? Check. Goth piano and spaghetti western guitar dirge? Check. Things may be crazy outside, but inside the Dandy's Odditorium studio things are as satisfyingly eclectic as ever. More

Fans of K.D. Lang's sumptuous voice can now enjoy the 25th anniversary concert for her widely acclaimed 1992 album, Ingenue , on Blu-ray. Filmed at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, TX, Lang performs mega-hits like “Constant Craving” and “Miss Chatelaine,” which was a step away from her previous country music stylings, into a new world of jazz and cabaret-influenced pop. The concert also includes an unreleased song entitled “Sleeping Alone” and Lang's cover of Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah,” as well as highlights from the rest of Lang's catalog. More

Toro Y Moi’s Outer Peace is a lively, lushly-crafted sojourn into the smoother, more seductive side of main man Chaz Bundick. Guest artist Abra shines on the sultry, instantly addictive “Miss Me,” while Wet contributes to the chilled out, funkified atmosphere on “Monte Carlo.” Instupendo helps Bundick flex his pop production muscles on the languid, dreamy, (and auto-tuned) “50-50,” of one of Bundick’s favorite tracks on the LP. Outer Peace straddles the line between two worlds — indie electro (is chillwave still a thing?) and indie R&B — and the result is this perfectly harmonious marriage of sounds. More

One of the most musically literate of the New Wave songwriting sect, Joe Jackson slowly graduated from acerbic-yet-tuneful, Elvis Costello/Graham Parker-indebted spunk to the sophisti-pop and yuppie rock of his most successful period, with Night and Day and Body and Soul both acting as perfect soundtracks for all the Gordon Gekkos and Patrick Batemans of 1980s NYC. Fool , his first studio album in 4 years and 21st overall, splits the difference between his two best-known eras. A song like “Fabulously Absolute” strips off the soft edges Jackson is so often fond of and transports us back to late '70s England, evoking not only Look Sharp! but the hyperactivity of early XTC as well. On the other end of the spectrum lies “Strange Land,” a patient ballad that is as smooth as smooth can be. Drenched in jazz piano and atmospheric synths, it moves at a languid pace, propelled by Jackson’s powerful and unique singing voice. With a career spanning over 40 years, Jackson isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here; he’s comfortable in his own sound and knows where his strengths lie. Thankfully, Fool puts them all on full display. More

Vocalist/composer Jeremy Dutcher's debut combines post-classical arrangements with samples from archived recordings of his Wolastoqiyik First Nation's first music, stored at the Canadian Museum of History. The results are both operatic and earthy, buoyed by strings, percussion, electronics, piano, and Dutcher's soaring tenor vocals. The opening track “Mehcinut” builds to a stunning climax and then slides into a peaceful conclusion with scratchy original vocal samples at the center. “Essuwonike” features pounding drums and a stirring rhythm, signaling early on that this is not sleepy New Age, but its own kind of unique baroque pop.More

What is Springsteen on Broadway ? Based on The Boss’ best-selling autobiography, Born to Run , it’s a thoroughly enjoyable, down-home performance written and performed by the 20-time Grammy Award winner, featuring beloved songs and personal anecdotes. Springsteen’s homespun charm is on fine display in this collection, recorded from the actual Broadway show that would become a Netflix special. Fans will love the opportunity to get further insights into the life and art of this essential artist. Affecting and affectionate, it’s a tribute to decades of now-classic songwriting and Springsteen’s growth, integrity, and passion as an artist. More

The debut album from Paul McCartney's Wings, Wild Life was originally recorded in a week which gave the songs a famously fresh and raw feel. Now it's joining McCartney's Grammy-winning Archive Collection in remastered glory. This two-disc CD edition features newly remastered audio from Abbey Road Studios, plus unreleased tracks, singles, and b-sides. More

Red Rose Speedway , with its classic No. 1 hit “My Love,” makes its entry into Paul McCartney's Archive Collection with a splash: a two-disc CD edition. Features newly remastered audio from Abbey Road Studios, plus unreleased tracks, singles, and b-sides. More