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The Verlaines are a rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Formed in 1981 by principle songwriter Graeme Downes, the band was named after the French poet Paul Verlaine, from from whom Television’s Tom Verlaine also lifted his stage name. The Verlaines are also one of the pioneers of the cult-followed 'Dunedin Sound' which was lifted from the explosion of talent coming out of their hometown in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The Chills, The Clean, Bailter Space, The Bats, The 3D's and the Straitjacket Fits all came roaring out of this University town.

The Verlaines’ angular sound made them favorites of bands like Pavement, R.E.M., Superchunk, Cat Power, The Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Yo La Tengo, Lou Barlow and many others. Uncut Magazine suggested that "before the mp3 replaced the flexidisc, the three axes of the international indie-pop underground were Olympia WA, Glasgow, and Dunedin, New Zealand." From 1985 to 2012, The Verlaines have released eleven albums, most of which are on the legendary New Zealand label Flying Nun. There was a brief period in the early to mid 90's when the band released albums for Slash and Columbia Records, only to go back to Flying Nun for 2012's Untimely Mediations.

Dunedin Spleen is The Verlaines’ first studio album in over seven years. Featuring a blistering and brilliant nineteen tracks, this double-LP will be exclusively released on Record Store Day 2020 via North Carolina indie Schoolkids Records. Limited edition white vinyl, gatefold 2xLP, download card included

1. None Of These Chords 2. Church And State 3. Canterbury South 4. Here We Are Again 5. I Am 6. Dunedin Spleen 7. Anthem 8. This Will Not Go Down 9. A Crib At Flatline Bay 10. A.W.C.W.D. 11. Recurring Dream 12. If They Cut Off My Handselling Poems 14. A Wall St Hooker's Deathbed 15. Snappy Dressers 16. Petroleum Woman 17. Poet's Lament 18. Scientists 19. Way Too Old To Grow Up Now

Tres Vampires is a trio of darkly romantic, timeless, otherworldly passion ballads the likes of which are only heard every 1000 years, or when the vampires rise. If you're listening. David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets), rarely seen in the daytime, and Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde) collaborate as the duet of your darkest dreams on these dusty 2009 recordings, unearthed from an old crypt in the French Quarter used for storage of various rarities and artifacts. These familiar voices are already Halloween staples wherever vampires are known to congregate, so these three “lost” tracks are sure to become new - yet oddly old and familiar - Goth classics. Instruments performed and recorded by Shok, Los Angeles Multi-Instrumentalist Producer & DJ (Red Light District / Zeitmahl). Limited edition blood red vinyl, download card included

1. Take You Deep 2. Blood Bound 3. Voyage Of The Damned

The Palace at 3AM is the first (and only) collaboration between the late Jay Bennett and his songwriting partner, Edward Burch.  After fronting Minneapolis legends Titanic Love Affair from 1994-2001 Bennett was a key member of the band Wilco, often co-writing songs on the band's early releases with Jeff Tweedy.  The power struggle was well documented in the Wilco documentary I Am Trying To Break Your Heart in which Bennett was fired as the cameras rolled.  The band was working on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at the time.  Bennett immediately teamed up with Burch and The Palace at 4am was released on the same street date in 2002 as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.  Hardcore Wilco fans loved the release and immediately started making comparisons on who was the real 'genius' of Wilco, Bennett or Tweedy. Bennett passed away suddenly in 2009 and with the blessings of his family, ten years after his death Schoolkids Records has teamed up with Edward Burch to release The Palace at 4am for the first time ever on vinyl for RSD 2020.  The album also includes the track "My Darlin'" which was also on Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, re-recorded by Bennett for this release. Limited edition cloudy clear vinyl, 2xLP gatefold. Download card included

1. Puzzle Heart 2. Talk to Me 3. Whispers or Screams 4. Shakin' Sugar 5. C.T.M. 6. Drinking on Your Dime 7. My Darlin' 8. No Church Tonite 9. Fireworks 10. Forgiven 11. Like a Photograph 12. Venus Stopped the Train 130 California 14. Little White Cottage 15. It Hurts

Nightjar is the eighth studio album from Marty Willson-Piper (The Church, All About Eve, Noctorum), originally released in 2008. Considered by many fans to be the best record of MWP's career, this will be the first time it has ever been released on vinyl. Pressed on limited edition red vinyl with new artwork design on inside gatefold. Download card included.
A new project from MWP, Moat, will have a new album called Poison Stream in June 2020.

1. No One There 2. More is Less 3. Lullaby for the Lonely 4. The Sniper 5. Feed Your Mind 6. High Down Below 7. I Must’ve Fallen 8. The Love You Never Had 9. Song for Victor Jara 10. A Game for Losers

Schoolkids Records-The Label is proud to announce the release of 'Part Time Punks" by SLOWNESS.

Why an e.p. now? Immediately following the release of Berths, Slowness embarked on a west coast tour, the highlight of which was stopping by Josiah Mazzaschi’s studio in Los Angeles to record live takes of a few songs. “Turns out the best time to record is during a tour, as opposed to after,” remarked Geoffrey Scott. “PTP was something different and fun for us.” The band recorded four songs, two from Berths and two oldies, including an eleven minute rendition of “Little King” from the band’s debut EP Hopeless but Otherwise. "The nightly experimentation on the road with a new line-up followed us into the studio,” Lynn said, “making it feel great to walk into Josiah’s beautiful room, lay down the rendition we felt that particular afternoon and walk out a few hours later with it all wrapped up.”

"Kenny Roby is one of the best American songwriters of the last 20 years"

- Neal Casal (Chris Robinson Brotherhood/Circles Around The Sun)

"The world's a better place with Kenny Roby & 6 String Drag in it." - Steve Earle

"'Memories & Birds' by North Carolina songwriter Kenny Roby floored me" - Citizen Cope in American Songwriter

"So thrilled to have Kenny Roby & 6 String Drag back. They're as great as ever. Like reconnecting with

a long lost friend."

- Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)

Roby is a genius and his work with 6 String Drag is the stuff of legends. Although they perform together

every now and then, this album serves as a reason why they should be more consistent in staying together

and playing such brilliant music. - SPILL MAGAZINE

North Carolina native and Americana pioneer Kenny Roby has been making records and performing on

stages for over 30 years. Early on, Roby’s punk band opened for Circles Jerks, 7 Seconds, Jane's Addiction

and Suicidal Tendencies. In late 1992, shortly after a relocating to Raleigh, NC Roby formed a more roots/

alt-country band, 6 String Drag which showcased his influences of Buck Owens, Neil Young alongside

Black Flag. The band eventually signed with Steve Earle's E-Squared Records and went on to tour with The

Jayhawks, Buddy Miller, Whiskeytown, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

Since 1999, Roby has released 4 solo records and 6SD reformed. In March of 2018 6SD released TOP OF

THE WORLD which received airplay on NPR, Sirius XM's Outlaw Country and press coverage in Rolling

Stone, All Music and No Depression.

After a critically acclaimed self-titled first album, 6 String Drag signed with alt-country godfather and outlaw

country music legend Steve Earle's E-Squared Records (Warner Brothers imprint) The band's second

record HIGH HAT was produced by Earle as well. 6 String Drag went on to open for and tour with acts such

as Earle, The Jayhawks, Buddy Miller, Whiskeytown, Blue Mountain, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings,

label-mates The V-Roys and many more. But a little more than a year after HIGH HAT was released and just

as the band started to gain wider recognition and beginning to grow their fanbase within the burgeoning

90's alt-country/roots rock scene as well as in national press and radio, the band split up.

Soon after the break-up Kenny Roby went on to record and release his first solo outing MERCURY'S

BLUES in Europe in 1999 and in the US in early 2000. Between 1999 and 2013 Roby went on to record

and release 4 solo records. Eventually 6 String Drag reformed in early 2014 and released their new

album ROOTS ROCK 'N' ROLL in early 2015. In March of 2018 the band released TOP OF THE WORLD to

more radio play on NPR, Sirius XM's Outlaw Country and press coverage in Rolling Stone, All Music, No

Depression et al and reissued a 20th anniversary release of HIGH HAT.

Roby is a songwriter's songwriter. He has been championed worldwide in the press, radio and by other

songwriters such as Steve Earle, Neal Casal, Citizen Cope, Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers) and even

had his songs covered by roots music legend Michael Hurley who was an integral part of the Holy Model

Rounders and was signed to Moses Asch to Folkways Records in the 1960s. Roby has signed multiple

publishing deals as a songwriter including a stint with Warner-Chapel Music.

In September 2019, Schoolkids Records will release TIRED OF FEELIN' GUILTY: 25 YEARS OF KENNY

ROBY & 6 STRING DRAG as Roby continues to tour worldwide.

One of the great undiscovered (bands) in contemporary moody effects-driven rock... an absolute gorgeous beauty Big Takeover Magazine A sparkling, delightful and varied blend of shoegaze, indie and drone pop... a glorious waterfall of embracing melodies that are cleverly bedded in a sea of hazy, psychedelic and yearning champagne Clank For Breakfast A trip wrapped in a dense stereo wall of sound.. an indispensable treat for lovers of shoegaze and post punk deserving of praise The Blog That Celebrates Itself Schoolkids Records has announced they will release the new Slowness album, entitled 'Berths'The album was produced by Monte Vallier (Weekend, The Soft Moon, Wax Idols). Side A was engineered by Dave Voigt (Luna, John Cale, Yo La Tengo, Alex Chilton) at his Beyond Notes studio in Brooklyn. Side B was done with Vallier at Ruminator Audio in San Francisco. This release follows up their 2014 album 'How to Keep from Falling off a Mountain' and 2013 album'For Those Who Wish to See the Glass Half Full'.Slowness runs mostly mid-tempo, sometimes fast and occasionally slow. As for this new record, it is purposefully slow, sounding like a hybrid between classic Slowdive, early-Cure and mid-period Neil Young. Often labelled shoegaze or dream pop with elements of slowcore,psych rock and even Krautrock, this music is perhaps best referred to as drone-pop. Imagine Spacemen 3 teaming up with Murmur-era R.E.M. with female harmonies. This is a very personal record. Its taken a while to make for several reasons. When we started recording during the summer of 2014, we knew wanted a slower, heavier record to reflect the current American grain, says Geoffrey Scott. We tend to think everythings gone bad since the last election and sometimes forget that that election was 30 years in the making. So, we set out to capture that, but then the whole concept probably took a turn when Julie and I decided to end our 11-year relationship as a couple. So, the political became blurred with the personal,and the lyrics probably reflect that.The first single and video, 'Rose' will be released on April 3. The band will tour throughout the United States in the summer and fall of 2019.

Special Edition of 1989 debut album produced by J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) and mixed by Sean Slade. Seminal album of pre-alt-grunge era. New Original Cover Art Print of album's classic design. Transparent Colored 180 gram vinyl. Deluxe Gatefold with rare photos. 12" poster insert of new cover art print.

A1 Sunflower Suit, A2 The Plank, A3 Impossible, A4 500,000 Warnings, A5 The Bus, B1 Racine , B2 In The Attic , B3 Flushing Stars, B4 Walk Away , B5 Reason Why

Marty Willson-Piper (The Church, All About Eve) follows up the success of last year's RSD Vinyl release of Spirit Level (1992) on Schoolkids Records with a Dbl vinyl release of Hanging Out In Heaven (2000). Originally released on San Francisco's Heyday records, the intention was always to release it on vinyl - 19 years later here it is with two extra tracks and new artwork including lyrics you can read, finally! Pressed on blue vinyl.

1. Forget The Radio 2. Swan 3. Wondering 4. Sanctuary 5. Waves Toward The Moon 6. Goodbye 7. I Don’t Think So 8. Watching Us 9. You Bring Your Love To Me 10. After Eight 11. All Those Wires 12. 1929 Vintage Wine 13. Wreck (A Sea Shanty) 14. What Is Her Name 15. All That Remains

After leaving a mark on the alt-country/No Depression/Americana scene in the mid to late nineties 6 String Drag for all intents and purposes broke up. The band's second record HIGH HAT was produced by After a leaving a mark on the alt-country/No Depression/Americana scene in the mid to late nineties 6 String Drag for all intents and purposes broke up. The band's second record HIGH HAT was produced by Steve Earle and Ray Kennedy and released on Earle's Warner Brothers imprint label E-Squared Record. A 20th anniversary reissue of HIGH HAT on cd, digital and vinyl (for the first time) was released in March 2018 and a brand new and 4th full length studio record TOP OF THE WORLD featuring founding members and leaders Kenny Roby and Rob Keller along with new members Dan Davis and Luis Rodriguez was released the following summer.

SIDE A: 1. Brasstown 2. Cry Cry Cry 3. Just a Shame 4. Elaine  5. Red 6. Just Another Thing SIDE B: 7. Mercury’s Blues 8. The Changeup 9. Gasoline Maybelline 10. Bottle of Blues 11. Blues Too Blue to Mention 12. No One’s Arms

Bauhaus and Love & Rockets co-founder David J Haskins, the man responsible for the lyrics of Bauhaus’ classic "Bela Lugosi's Dead," is releasing the first great protest song of the year, exclusively for RSD 2019. "Thoughts and Prayers" is a scathing rebuke of the United States for it's inability to stop the senseless mass school shootings that are killing our nation's children. Haskins bemoans the futility of "sending thoughts and prayers" to solve this tragic issue and also the inherent hypocrisy of the present government.
The 7" single "Thoughts and Prayers" comes packaged in a sleeve with a striking picture of a rifle with a bloody red circle around it and a line drawn through it. The complete lyrics of "Thoughts and Prayers" are printed on the back so the nation does not miss a word of this powerful call to action. The B-Side is a haunting cover of Emily Jane Whites's "Hole in the Middle," another powerful political song that is equally as relevant today.

David J is currently touring the US on the massively successful Ruby World Tour with Peter Murphy, celebrating 40 years of the music of Bauhaus. RSD 2019 is the perfect time for him to raise his voice against America's shameful tragedy with his newest release, "Thoughts and Prayers."

Side A 1. Thoughts and Prayers Side B 2. Hole In the Middle

Born at the crossroads of good old-fashioned Harlem soul power and next generation New Orleans sounds, John The Martyr's debut album is best described by lead singer Bill Hudson as a "gumbo". “Cross The Line” taps into a modern gospel flare with timeless Detroit styling and "Feeling Good" is a one-two punch of Motown heart and New Orleans gusto. It has also been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network's Queen Sugar. “That one lives up to its title,” laughs Bill. “It’s all about feeling good.” 

SIDE A: 1. Time 2. Cross The Line 3. Feeling Good 4. Prism 5. Working Man SIDE B: 1. Channeled 2. Shy 3. Fury 4. Brighter Day 5. History

The writing process for The Afterlife began in October 2016. Opening with the ghostly The Moon Drips, a song about creatures of the night, that features mariachi trumpet, demented harpsichord and a thrilling climax, the music was written as a jam in one take – Marty on organ guitar, Dare on bass and Olivia on violin. Marty’s wife, Olivia, joined us on most of the tracks, either playing violin or singing. Dare contributes lyrics on two songs. Show, a jangly pop song and High Tide / Low Tide, written after listening to a friend talk about his bipolar disorder. The King Crimson influence emerges on A Resurrected Man, a slow, beautifully crafted paean to Marty’s muse. For those who like to hear Noctorum at full throttle, A Girl With No Love is built around a Thin Lizzy style riff, motors along at breakneck speed and tells the story of disillusioned lonely men in search of guiltless fantasy. Another stand out track is Head On, a duet between Marty and Olivia, complete with 70s style detective theme backing and a full on progressive instrumental outro as a soundtrack to a lover’s pact, immortalized in a head on collision. The track The Afterlife is beyond categorisation. Over a backing that sounds like a pastoral, even whimsical piece of English folk rock or perhaps a hymn, Marty inhabits the soul of a suicide bomber and tells us his side of the story. Ian McNabb from the Icicle Works explained it best in the title of one of his albums – “If you want to know your enemy, sing his song”.

The writing process for The Afterlife began in October 2016. Opening with the ghostly The Moon Drips, a song about creatures of the night, that features mariachi trumpet, demented harpsichord and a thrilling climax, the music was written as a jam in one take – Marty on organ guitar, Dare on bass and Olivia on violin. Marty’s wife, Olivia, joined us on most of the tracks, either playing violin or singing. Dare contributes lyrics on two songs. Show, a jangly pop song and High Tide / Low Tide, written after listening to a friend talk about his bipolar disorder. The King Crimson influence emerges on A Resurrected Man, a slow, beautifully crafted paean to Marty’s muse. For those who like to hear Noctorum at full throttle, A Girl With No Love is built around a Thin Lizzy style riff, motors along at breakneck speed and tells the story of disillusioned lonely men in search of guiltless fantasy. Another stand out track is Head On, a duet between Marty and Olivia, complete with 70s style detective theme backing and a full on progressive instrumental outro as a soundtrack to a lover’s pact, immortalized in a head on collision. The track The Afterlife is beyond categorisation. Over a backing that sounds like a pastoral, even whimsical piece of English folk rock or perhaps a hymn, Marty inhabits the soul of a suicide bomber and tells us his side of the story. Ian McNabb from the Icicle Works explained it best in the title of one of his albums – “If you want to know your enemy, sing his song”.

NYC-based singer/songwriter Perry Serpa has possibly, for the very first time, brought to life a fictionally depicted album. The artist, in this case, is Tucker Crowe, the main character of Nick Hornby's celebrated novel Juiiet, Naked. Serpa takes his record's title from the name Hornby gave to its fictional tribute album and lifts the song titles, sequencing, couplets and influences laid out in the description of Crowe's tortured and lovesick opus. Guests include The Minus 5's Scott McCaughey, Laura Cantrell, Aja Warren and Edward Rogers. Wherefore Art Thou? coincides with Judd Apatow's screen adaptation of Juliet, Naked but is unrelated to the film.

1. And You Are? (Scott McCaughey on lead vocals) 2. Adultery (Aja Warren co-vocals) 3. We’re In Trouble4. In Too Deep5. Who Do You Love? 6. Dirty Dishes (Laura Cantrell co-vocals)7. The Better Man8. The Twentieth Call Of The Day 9. Blood Ties 10. You And Your Perfect Life

"Why Are We Here?" is a 7" compilation EP, originally released on No Core Records in 1983, that includes four North Carolina hardcore bands - Bloodmobile, Corrosion Of Conformity, Stillborn Christians, and No Labels. This classic out-of-print hardcore 7" has some of the earliest recordings from Corrosion of Conformity, including one unreleased track that did not make their debut album Eye For An Eye. This red vinyl reissue is a tribute to Eric Eycke, the original COC singer, who passed away in 2017.

Side I New Right (Stillborn Christians) Fred (Stillborn Christians) Aggression (Stillborn Christians) Changes (No Labels) Compromises (No Labels)
Side II Drug-Related Death (Bloodmobile) Little Boy Blue (Bloodmobile) The Smiths (Bloodmobile) Poison Planet (C.O.C.) Indifferent (C.O.C.) Too Cool (C.O.C.)

Exclusive 7" single from Buffalo Tom contains covers of Paul Simon's "Only Living Boy In New York" and an unreleased b-side of The Who's "The Seeker" Includes download card.

"The Only Living Boy In New York" b/w "The Seeker"

Australian Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Marty Willson-Piper's (The Church, All About Eve, Noctorum) fourth studio album, originally released in 1992, now for the first time ever on Vinyl. Gatefold with all of the original artwork. Transparent clear/coke bottle vinyl includes download code. New music coming in 2018 from MWP with a new Noctorum album (side project with producer Dare Mason) as well as a new album his Swedish project Moat.

I Cant Cry, Will I Start To Bleed, Turn Away To The Stars, Luscious Ghost, Scandinavian Stare, Cant Ever Risk An Openess With You, Even Though You Are My Friend, Adelle Yvonne, The Saddest House in Stockholm, Kiss You To Death, Melts My Heart

Legendary jangle-pop rockers Dumptruck release their first album in over 17 years. This transparent blue colored vinyl is exclusive to Record Store Day stores, and includes a download card.

Cellophane, Smile, Talk, Swept Away, Unkindest Cut, Fog, Money, Dangerous Kind, Letters, Innocent Eyes, Middle Of The Day, You Can't Win 

Legendary Television guitarist Richard Lloyd's fifth studio album, Radiant Monkey was released in 2007 and has never been available before on Vinyl. Transparent green colored vinyl is exlusive to Record Store Day and includes a download card.

Monkey, Glurp, There She Goes Again, Swipe It, Only Friend, Kalpa Tree, Amnesia, Carousel, Big Hole, Wicked Son, One For The Road

In the three decades since first convening at the University of Massachusetts, Buffalo Tomsinger-guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist-vocalist Chris Colbourn and drummer Tom Maginnishave built a formidable body of work. Having first made its mark with a raw, raucous approach that put the band at the forefront of the '90s alt-rock explosion, the intrepid trio has consistently revealed new layers of musical and emotional depth, as manifested in the bittersweet ballads, soul-searching songcraft and rousing rock tunes that make up the new album Quiet and Peace. The consistently compelling 11-song set (on the band's own Scrawny label, in association with Schoolkids Records) finds the band simultaneously mining their best-known sonic elements while breaking new ground on emotionally resonant new tunes such as "All Be Gone," "Overtime," "Roman Cars," "Freckles" and "CatVMouse.

In the three decades since first convening at the University of Massachusetts, Buffalo Tomsinger-guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist-vocalist Chris Colbourn and drummer Tom Maginnishave built a formidable body of work. Having first made its mark with a raw, raucous approach that put the band at the forefront of the '90s alt-rock explosion, the intrepid trio has consistently revealed new layers of musical and emotional depth, as manifested in the bittersweet ballads, soul-searching songcraft and rousing rock tunes that make up the new album Quiet and Peace. The consistently compelling 11-song set (on the band's own Scrawny label, in association with Schoolkids Records) finds the band simultaneously mining their best-known sonic elements while breaking new ground on emotionally resonant new tunes such as "All Be Gone," "Overtime," "Roman Cars," "Freckles" and "CatVMouse.

The collection of new songs Life Is A Flower, Life Is A Gun almost didnt make it,to tape,to the recording microphone, to the stage. Its been a while since the musical world has heard from Angie Aparo, his last album was released almost eight years ago. You might know him from his songs, being covered by Faith Hill, Big & Rich, Edwin McCain, Sheila E. and Miley Cyrus. You might go his solo shows. If you have cd, THE AMERICAN; you heard greatness, if you saw him live; you saw genius, and now this album. Angie suffered a stroke at the age of 55: Created solely by Angie himself, using computer loops, traditional instruments, and the voice of Siri give his songs a visual texture to the audio landscape capture in his mind. Angie is an audio scientist when it comes to his art form and thats why hes so exemplary. As a stroke survivor, its important to me to raise awareness about stroke, which can happen to anyone at any time, said Aparo. It wasnt always easy, but I came back strong from a stroke and have returned to my music career with a newfound appreciation for life. Music saved me and now I want to share my gift with others by playing a few songs at the National Stroke Associations Comeback Trail 5K in my, hometown. As Life Is A Flower, Life Is A Gun opens up we have an artist that had to reboot, restart and relearn. Angie has regained, released and in the process has been reborn since that mind-shattering day. But if anything, we all can learn from him. For as a society we tend to give sympathy out to those have fallen ill, suffered or in deep pain with their minds or bodies. And Angie does want your hugs but he also you wants you to take his determination and inhale it for yourself.

Along with Tom Verlaine, Lloyd formed the guitar duo at the fiery heart of Television, arguably the most influential band to come out of the '70s NYC scene centered around CBGB's. After years of activity, Lloyd has been on the NYC/Hoboken & national scene over the past few years lending his fiery, lyrical guitar work as a sideman for artists such as Matthew Sweet & John Doe of X. This album is being released just a couple months before a much anticipated 2nd reunion of Television.

Forming in early 2015, the members of Happy Abandon were hardly strangers. Operating in the same circles that are the cogs of any small, tightly knit scene, Vance, Ellis, and Waits had known each other for years before as students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Within a few weeks of first playing together, they worked their way onto bills at local shows and by years end Happy Abandon was hitting the road, touring through nearly every state east of Texas and Canada. It was at SXSW that the band initially hooked up with North Carolina music denizen and future label head Stephen Judge, playing multiple slots at his annual SXSW party. From there a relationship was born that would eventually lead to Judges offering Happy Abandon a recording contract via his freshly re-branded label Schoolkids Records. The band continued to write, to tour, and to fine-tune their performances when, in late 2016, they suffered the unexpected loss of three dear friends in three separate incidences. In dealing with these heartbreaking premature deaths, in concert with the trials and travails of everyday life, the songs began to pour out en masse, with subjects ranging from personal loss to abandonment to homelessness - which singer Peter Vance suffered for a stint - to heartbreak to the indomitable power of will. It was through this lens that the band began to see this new set of songs on a grander perspective and began to realize that the wider concept behind their music was the idea that a person needs to feel life, to experience it in every facet, to feel as many emotions as possible, to completely immerse themselves in whatever emotion they may be experiencing, and how, in an effort to protect ourselves, we all tend to hide behind masks, or more appropriately, some kind of facepaint. Vance, who readily admits that he slips behind his own masks on a regular basis, began to see these songs as a vehicle by which to reveal what's behind his facepaint. Writing furiously, Happy Abandon soon found themselves with a batch of the best songs they'd yet written and soon decamped to the tiny hamlet Macon, North Carolina (population 116), where Jason Merritt's lake house studio sits on the shores of Lake Gaston, to create their album. Within a week they emerged with the ten songs that would become Facepaint, their debut long player, and found their brand of genre bending art music with deep-rooted pop sensibilities more finely honed than ever before. Working with Merritt acting as co-producer, Jamie Candiloro working as mixing engineer, and frequent collaborator Alex Thompson handling keyboards and string arrangements, Happy Abandon captured at once their high flair, their foreboding sensibility and their warmth in a record that is at-once propulsive yet patient, dark, and distant while warm and engaging. Vance's voice, a tinny yet warm throat-yell which bears an eerie resemblance to Jeff Buckley, sits astride Happy Abandon's intensely emotional music, which owes as much to the members' experience in theater, marching bands, and orchestras as it does to their myriad musical influences such as Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird, and The National. While full of songs about loss, Vance is quick to point out that Facepaint is not a breakup album. Rather, if the album were to have a subject, it would be the relationship a person has to loss and loneliness, which can manifest itself through breakups, homelessness, familial abandonment, and death. These relationships provide the outline for Facepaint, from the emotions they conjure to the settings in which they exist and the facepaint we all hide behind to make those heartbreaks a little more palatable.

Daniel and Danny Chavis are natives of Raleigh/Chapel Hill, North Carolina and East Village residents for the past 28 years. They are also co-founders of the groundbreaking band The Veldt, who lifted their band’s name from a Ray Bradbury science fiction story. Musically reared in the church and juke-joints of their native southern state, the twins have been performing since they were children, listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. 

Symmetry/"Slow Grid"

Dutch indie legends Bettie Serveert return on their 25th Anniversary with their 11th studio album, Damaged Good. This limited edition exclusive magenta Vinyl LP will include a digital download and full CD, the only version available in the United States. The CD will not be available on it's own. Damaged Good is one of ’The Betties’ most diverse albums so far, including songs barely 60 sec long up to an 8 min epos and everything in between. It’s a ‘big story’: intense, raw, tender, but mostly passionate and fierce. Some songs will definitely remind people of their classic Palomine, the debut album that started everything 25 years ago.

01 B-Cuz 02 Brickwall 03 Brother (in Loins) 04 Damaged Good  05 Whatever Happens 06 Unsane 07 Digital Sin (Nr 7) 08 Mouth of Age 09 Love Sick (feat. Peter te Bos) 10 Mrs. K  11 Never Be Over (feat. Prof. Nomad & Co)

Eleven full-lengths, four EPs, three compilations and one live album into the game, Tommy Keeneis in the midst of a creative roll that, in the space of just six years, has yielded four studio albums; five, if you count 2010 career overview Tommy Keene You Hear Me: A Retrospective 1983-2009. The rock savant's new offering, Laugh in the Dark, is the latest in a fruitful partnership with North Carolina's Second Motion Records label, due out September 4, 2015, and comprises ten fresh Keene nuggets meticulously assembled over the course of six months, a period in which his "unobvious covers" record Excitement at Your Feet saw release to unanimous critical acclaim. Laugh in the Dark, while characterized as always by Keene's distinctive flair for melodic guitar-driven rock and brawny power pop, marks a subtle shift in the artist's songwriting modus operandi in that unlike previously, the material is all of recent vintage. As he explains, "There were always songs left over from the last project or ideas that hadn't been fleshed out. What I've done in the past before starting to write for a new record would be to demo a cover or resurrect an old song of mine that I liked but never made the final cut for an album. But all the songs on Laugh in the Dark were started and finished last year from April through October. I started with a completely fresh slate on this one." With the arrival of Laugh in the Dark Tommy Keene offers yet more evidence that he is like an athlete rediscovering his prime. Only in this artist's case, he never left it. Incidentally, the album title comes from a ride at an amusement park on the outskirts of his old stomping ground of Washington D.C. The same park where the cover photo for 1984's Places That Are Gone was shot. "See, I am consistent!" he concludes, smiling at the memory.

Power-pop legend Tommy Keene returns with the follow-up to 2009's in the Late Bright and 2010's double album retrospective with what can easily be described as one of his most accomplished releases of his career. Behind the Parade is classic Keene and surely will have his hard-core fan base wanting more.

Bringing shades of Goth darkness to the jangling guitar sounds of the '60s, the Church made waves from their native Australia to the UK and on to the U.S. starting in the early '80s. This definitive collection rounds up 32 crucial cuts from 1981-2009: their first-album classic the Unguarded Moment ; their early gems Almost with You and When You Were Mine ; their international 1988 hit Under the Milky Way, plus Reptile; Already Yesterday; Ripple; Contant in Opal; Destination; Pangaea; Operetta, and more!

Produced and recorded by the Wall brothers (except where stated). Mixing & additional recording - Rob Kirwan. Recorded in Dirtbird, Windmill Lane, the Nutshed and Hellfire Studios. Mixed in Dirtbird, Suite Studio and Exchequer. Drums on 'Doodlesque and Dead Flowers' recorded by Ciaran Bradshaw in the Nutshed, Clara. 'Carrying the Fire' recorded by Alan Kelly at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin and mixed by Joe & Steve in Dirtbird. Mastered by Geoff Pesch at Abbey Road. Joe & Steve Wall: vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, bass, synthesizers, Lowrey organ, programming, percussion, dulcimer, piano / Rory Doyle: drums, backing vocals /Jon O'Connell: bass, mandola, banjo, backing vocals, / Marc Aubele: Fender Rhodes, electric guitar. Guests: Paul G. Smyth- keyboards & synths on Doodlesque. Bill Blackmore- trumpet and flugelhorn on Doodlesque, Phantom Power & Stop the Lights. Keith Farrell- backing vocals and arrangement ideas on Phantom Power. Lioba Petrie- cello on The Great Escape. Eva Cazali Wall- backing vocals on Carrying the Fire. Nick Seymour- mouth music on Dead Flowers. Thanks to: Vinny Wall, Rob Kirwan, Mike McGrath, Phil Hayes; Pat O'Donnell, Marc Carolan, Joe McGrath, Kathryn Mason, Madeleine Seiler, Dan Dwyer, Stephen Judge, Owen McNamara, Tiziana Corvisieri, Deirdre Fitzgerald, Celine Cazali, Hadley O'Connell, Dave Barrett, Joe Egan, Krisjanis Berzins, Ronan Murphy, Brian Crosby, Paddy Goodwin & Neil Myles, Keith Farrell, Aidan Foley, Stephen Mogerley, Myles O'Reilly, Dave Balfe, Gaby Froese, Naomi & Martina and Alan in Windmill Lane, Eoin Foyle, Dan Gaynor, Jeff Robinson, Kieran Lynch, John Carney, Fergal Henry, Dee Reilly, Mike Bartlett, Eamonn Ryan, Colm O'Hara, Gav Kenny, Mike Casey, Jay Hilditch, Gaby Smyth Accountants, Richard Gilligan, Paul G.Smyth, Bryan Quinn, Gus McDonagh, Kevin Cahill, Joe Streibl, Sig Doherty, Johnny Donnelly, Cathy Doyle, Apologies to those we've left out! Special thanks and big love to our families for putting up with long absences during the making of this album. Album art direction and creation: Conor & David Photography: Sean & Yvette.

The 10th album of Dutch alternative indie-rockband Bettie Serveert will be released early 2013. Oh, Mayhem! is the title of the cd, which has been described by insiders as being their most audacious disc since their debut album Palomine from 1992. The follow-up on Pharmacy of Love (2010) finds the band more energetic and confident than ever.

Spent bullets walks beyond the ground broken on BOLTS and is a more direct, varied and satisfying album than ever before. The power and melody that has always coursed through the veins of Adam's electric songs is in full effect. Not to mention there are all sorts of other unexpected sonic fingerprints. In short, some of the most sonically beautiful songs of Franklins career converge on one disc that aims straight for the heart.

Australia's legendary band, The Church returns with what is arguably the most creative and inspiring record of their almost 30 year career. Second Motion Records in conjunction with the band's very own Unorthodox Records now release the new album UNTITLED #23. The album will feature 10 tracks of thoughtful simplistic epics, unusual in it's ability to be simultaneously dark and accessible. UNTITLED #23 is an irresistibly melodic album, dense, psychedelic, yet emotive and personal. Set in a lush soundscape carved out of another world, the band has succeeded in creating a listenable work of art, meshing guitars and rhythms into a sonic journey of intrigue and understanding.

In this age of the Darwinian superheros-an entertainer is supposed to do it all, effortlessly. With only so much talent spread oh-so-thin, of course, the ranks are now replenished with the talentless-a bunch of people who can't sing, captivate the attention of a national audience by singing badly, after which they are scolded for not being able to sing. Entertainment? It sounds like a penal colony. There are alternatives. Saviors, even. Four of them, the Four Norsemen of the Apocalypse, come to liberate the living and the brain-dead. The Disciplines. Three Norwegians, ex-members of Nordic pop success story Briskeby, and one American, Ken Stringfellow, whose extensive resume' includes founding one of the 90's most critically acclaimed bands, The Posies; touring worldwide with R.E.M., and providing terawatts of energy and talent to artists such as Big Star, Lagwagon, Snow Patrol and Neil Young. The Disciplines shoot from the hip and aim for the head. SMOKING KILLS is snarly, but catchy; direct, but not dumb; winky but not snarky. The songs race by in brutal efficiency, and within the garage-y production you might miss the delicate smattering of wordplay.

The Late birds is a roots rock band from Helsinki, Finland. The band was founded in 2000 by singer/songwriter Markus Nordenstreng, drummer Janne Haavisto, bass player Mikko Mäkelä (Makela), and guitarist Miikka 'McGyver' Paatelainen. Guitarist Jussi Jaakonaho replaced Miikka Paatelainen in 2004. Organ player Matti Pitsinki from Finnish instrumental rock group Laika & the Cosmonauts was added to the line-up in 2005.

Tommy Keene is set to release his first solo album in nearly three years, In The Late Bright. The 11-track album, co-produced by Keene and R. Walt Vincent (Pete Yorn, James Blunt), was recorded in Keenes Los Angeles home earlier this year and features a wide range of songs from the rollicking opener, "Late Bright", to his first recorded instrumental ("Elevated") and the wistful "Save This Harmony".

Entitled CHEERLEADER the new Odds album is a welcome return for Canadian alt-rock quartet, Odds, after a ten year hiatus. As a bonus the disc include "My Happy Place" - the closing theme for the successful Canadian sitcom Corner Gas.