((((( NEW ARRIVALS: CDs ))))) Mulatu, Steve Earle, Themselves, Woods, Kid Congo & more!

MULATU ASTATKE & THE HELIOCENTRICS Inspiration Information Vol. 3 CD
*** RECOMMENDED "One of Africa's greatest and most innovative bandleaders, MULATU ASTATKE, with the next level musicianship of THE HELIOCENTRICS. Mulatu Astatke fused Western jazz and funk with traditional Ethiopian folk melodies. The Heliocentrics are inspired by a wide palette covering SUN RA, JAMES BROWN, DAVID AXELROD and all manner of psych, Afro and Eastern sounds."

CRYSTAL STILTS Alight Of Night CD
*** RECOMMENDED "Crystal Stilts' spectral twang 'n' echo avant-garage references spooked '60s Texas psych, gothic blues & punk howl, and post-punk minimalism."

STEVE EARLE Townes CD
*** "A 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle s friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter, Townes Van Zandt."

JEREMY ENIGK Ok Bear CD
*** "OK Bear, the third full-length solo album from Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft), offers a surprising sense of intimacy while staying undeniably Enigk."

HOSPITALS Hairdryer Peace CD
*** "Intensely psychedelic and mixed for maximum hallucinations, this marks a pretty heavy departure from the HOSPITALS of old. Heavy tranced out riffs, weird pop, cracked folk, disorienting noise, paranoid vibes."

KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY SPIDERS Dracula Boots LP / CD
*** RECOMMENDED "The premier voodoo guitarist for seminal sexy, swampy bands like GUN CLUB, NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS, and THE CRAMPS returns to the psychedelic jungle with a stripped-down, no-frills set of garage, Chicano rock, juvenile delinquent rumble, fuzzy biker rock, and greasy rump-shakers."

MARK KOZELEK Lost Verses Live CD
*** "Recorded live during the leader of Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon's acoustic tours, this 14 song set features songs primarily chosen from the Sun Kil Moon catalog but also includes solo and Red House Painter's material."

JOHN MARTYN Solid Air CD
*** One of Martyn's best!

CONOR OBERST Outer South CD
*** "While touring in support of last year's debut, Conor and The Mystic Valley Band began writing new songs -- thiss is the first album credited to this group."

THEE OH SEES Help CD
*** "John Dwyer of PINK AND BROWN, COACHWHIPS, and HOSPITALS draws straight, dark lines to both British psychedelic rock and the caveman thud while a Cramps-like appreciation for rockabilly lies not far below."

THEMSELVES The Free Houdini Mixtape CD
*** "Ten years after their debut & six years since their last LP, Themselves return with theFREEhoudini: one part aggressive rap mixtape, one part ANTICON posse reunion, it will reaffirm the crew's place in hip-hop history."

WOODS Songs Of Shame LP / CD
*** "Veering away from the lo-fi guerillas-in-the-mist sound of the past, Woods present both 90-second and ten-minute forays into skeletal psychedelia." Recommended by PITCHFORK.